All These Things
by GreenLoki
Summary: Thor's life has been completely planned out for him. His parents are controlling and have their own agenda, one that Thor wants no part in. Life is an endless cycle of patterns – or at least that's until he sees Loki Laufeyson, and then life starts getting interesting. High-school AU.
1. Once More

Author's Note – Ownership of the cover-image goes to Batwynn, as it is her picture. Much thanks to Cassy27 for her help with this story.

* * *

**Chapter One || ****Once More**

Thor often wondered what it would be like to have normal parents, the kind that asked how school went, helped with homework, and enjoyed having his friends over on Friday afternoons. And sure, that might be an exaggeration, but it was a beautiful picture, a beautiful image. Thor didn't have normal parents. He didn't even really have _parents_. They were more like business associates who were looking for that one product that would bring in the money.

He was sitting at the dining room table, playing with what was left of his scrambled eggs. Thor listened vaguely to what his father, Odin, was telling him. Something about securing his future and cementing his place high on the food chain. It was the same thing every morning. He nodded his head at the right times, said an affirmation whenever there was a pause in conversation. It was something that Thor could do in his sleep now.

"– and it's important you do that. Do you understand?" Odin questioned, finally coming to the end of his speech. He was staring at Thor expectantly, waiting for him to respond.

Thor gave a small smile, nodding his head, agreeing to whatever the hell it was Odin was trying to assert. None of it really mattered to him. "Of course, father," He said, putting his fork down, appetite gone. He couldn't find it in himself to continue to sit there and leave himself open for more of his words. It was all selfish, all for _their_ purposes anyway. He just happened to be unfortunate enough to be in association with their current goal.

Pushing his chair out, Thor collected his plate and, just as he was getting ready to stand, he allowed his eyes to fall on his mother. That was a mistake. Despite how intimidating his father was, Frigga was more so. One look had him sighing quietly, shoulders deflating as he placed his plate and utensils back on the table. Leaning back in his seat, Thor crossed his arms, staring at the glass of orange juice that was sitting in front of him.

"I have to get ready for school," He forced out, trying to sound as though he was eager to go. It sounded bored, though, impatient. But the silence was stretching and grating at his nerves. Frigga was staring at him with a stern look, and he didn't know whether he wanted to curl up on himself or scream out in anger. He settled for both. "What? I don't have time to sit here and –"

"Tell me what your father just said," She interrupted, light blue eyes flashing in warning. But Thor had nothing to produce for an answer and she knew it. Shaking her head, she put down the spoon she was using to mix her tea and leaned forward, clasping the cup. "I haven't said anything for a while now, but I'm concerned about your behaviour, Thor."

Thor furrowed his brows and waited for her to continue. When she said nothing, though, it took everything in his power to not roll his eyes. She was waiting for him to say something to justify the way he'd been acting. Of course, she was, because her _perfect_ son wouldn't be acting so childish and immature. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm your mother, Thor –" He fought back a scoff. "– and I know when you're lying to me. You can talk to me and tell me anything. But if you don't then I'm forced to assume that you're just acting out. Did something happen at school or in one of your clubs?"

"Can I not just be tired? Does there have to be a legitimate reason for me not wanting to have this discussion every single morning before I go to school?"

"You can be tired when you're living on the top floor of your very own tower," Odin spat out, his one icy blue eye glinting. He was getting angry and frustrated and Thor knew that it was partially due to his behaviour and the way he was acting towards them. The other part had entirely to do with _his_ failures. "We are doing everything we can to make you successful, Thor. You need to put in the effort!"

"So what are you going to do?" Frigga asked, perfectly trimmed eyebrows raising, waiting for Thor's response. She wouldn't let him leave the table without giving her one, of _that_ Thor was sure.

But Thor was just too frustrated to care. Huffing out an irritated gust of air, he shook his head, sparkling blue eyes moving between mother and father. "What do you want me to do? You wanted me to befriend Tony Stark and I did. You wanted me to join clubs so colleges would be impressed with my work-load. I did. What more do you want?"

Thor was sure that Odin would strike him. With the way his fists balled up, his chest puffing out, as though he was getting ready to start screaming … but it didn't happen. Frigga placed a hand on his forearm, silently grounding him. She looked equally as furious, though, and even if she stopped Odin from potentially hitting him, he was nowhere close to getting out of there unscathed.

"You are no fool, Thor. Howard Stark is very successful. He runs a multi-billion, international corporation. When he steps down, his son will take over. His future is set and his father will never have to worry about him financially. That is all we want for you," Frigga said, and Thor had to give it to her – she could spin a tale and make it sound _right_. But she wasn't wrong when she said he wasn't a fool. Thor was adept at recognising when his own parents were trying to play him.

Over the years, Thor had learned to play his own game. He learned to say what he needed to say in a way that they would believe, and he would do so now. Shoulders deflating even more, Thor softened his expression, making it look as though the weight of their words were finally dawning on him. He was silent for a moment, pretending to ponder over their words while actually counting down from twenty. When Thor felt he was silent long enough, he looked up at them, nodding his head gently.

"I understand. I'm sorry for my behaviour," His voice was sombre and almost timid. He sounded ashamed and he could tell the exact moment when his parents started to crack.

Reaching over, Frigga folded her hand over Thor's. She gave it a squeeze. It was sad how his own mother couldn't comfort him, even sadder when he knew that she didn't know how. "All we want is the best for you, Thor. Above all, never forget that," Thor nodded his head. She pulled her hand away, clasping it over her cup of tea. "Now go on. Or you'll be late."

And Thor did. As he got up and made his way to the door – detouring to grab his bag – he heard his parents talk about Borson Industries and about Howard Stark. There was a benefit in about a week that they were going to and they feared about their impression. He stood at the door and listened to them talk about him and his friendship with Howard's son. Tony Stark was their ticket and Thor was their unwilling ride to the top.

-x- -x- -x-

When Thor was younger, he loved school. School meant making his own friends, colouring and laughing, playing outside. He loved running and he loved the feel of his heart pounding as he pushed himself harder and harder. Baseball was his favourite sport. It implemented running and hitting the ball as hard as he could. Thor had been a rowdy child and Frigga thought having him play a sport would tire him out when it was time to come home. Over the years, he went from baseball to basketball to track to – finally – football. It seemed to work well for him, but he hated it. The stress of how much was riding on the game, as well as the many clubs that his parents had forced him into over the years caused that joy to become a burden.

Coach Coulson had them all running laps that day. Though practise wasn't until that afternoon, Thor's gym-class had mostly football players in it, which meant extra drills and routines to prepare them for the bigger stuff they'd do after school. Thor wasn't close to any of them, even though they considered him a friend. The jocks stuck together.

Tony Stark was waiting for him when he emerged from the locker rooms. Swinging an arm around Thor's massive shoulders, Tony led him in the direction of the cafeteria, talking animatedly about the first game of the season, which was in two days. Thor smiled and laughed along with him, keeping up appearances. They soon joined the rest of the team at the table that was closest to the windows. That was _their_ table. No-one else was able to sit there.

"Those fucking Elves have no idea who they're up against!" Tony exclaimed when he slammed down his tray. He was grinning like the pretentious ass he was.

"What is their rec, anyway?" Steve Rogers asked. He was just as much of an ass as Tony.

"Don't know, don't care," Tony answered, grin widening all the more as he sat down beside his girlfriend, Pepper. He gave her a kiss that was all tongue before turning his attention back to Rogers. "Alfheim hardly ever makes it into the playoffs, so who gives a shit?"

They started talking about football, but Thor tuned them out, not at all interested in hearing about the sport. It seemed as though that was all they ever talked about – that and whose party they were going to, when they were going to throw their own. And five minutes later, that's exactly what they did start to talk about. _When_ they beat the Alfheim Elves, Tony was going to throw a massive party to commemorate their victory. Thor was not looking forward to it.

He didn't know why he put up with any of it. He sat at that table every single day, eating silently, only engaging in conversation when asked a question. He didn't want to be there, didn't want to associate himself with the likes of Tony Stark and Steve Rogers. They were cruel and ruthless and picked on others, because they were rich and popular. Why he didn't just get up and sit somewhere else was beyond him.

Like most things, he didn't have a choice. Thor was where he was, because he was put there. There was no getting out, no alternatives. It was just something that he had to make due with, and most of the time, he was able to do just that. He could sit there and laugh, because on those rare days, Tony and Steve and the rest of his friends weren't actually _that_ bad. But then he blinked and realised that he was living a lie. It was a vicious cycle and Thor couldn't seem to escape it.

Shaking his head at a particularly nasty comment towards a few of the girls in the art-department, Thor turned his attention towards the doors of the cafeteria. He was trying to calculate how far he was from it, if he would be able to sneak away without them realising until after he escaped, when they walked in.

Flaming red hair with deep blue eyes, sandy brown hair with vibrant-coloured orbs that seemed to shine even from where he was standing, and jet black hair with a set of wild emerald green eyes. That was what Thor first made note of. The two boys were flanking the girl, their eyes never remaining set on one thing. They were invisible, but they walked with such authority and command, Thor found. But no-one even noticed them as they took their place at the table in the far corner, farthest away from the table that Thor was sitting in.

Before he was aware of what he was doing, Thor elbowed Tony in the side, gaining his attention.

"Ow –!"

"Who are they?"

"Who are _they_?" Tony asked, craning his head, looking for whoever it was that Thor was talking – and pointing – about. When he finally did catch sight of them, Thor could practically see the glee in his eyes. "Why, my dear friend, they are Midgard High's resident freaks."

"Okay, but _who_ are they? What are their names?" Thor demanded, leaning to the side some when a couple of students got in his line of sight. He didn't know why he was so insistent in knowing, why his heart was thrumming just a bit harder against his rib-cage. Perhaps it was because something was finally _different_ and _new_.

"I just know the guys. I don't know the girl."

"The girl is Natasha Romanoff," Pepper Potts replied, picking at her salad. She didn't sound impressed. "She's such a bitch," Thor had to bark back a laugh when he heard that, head whipping around to look at her, because no-one could be more of a bitch than Pepper. There was mean and then there was _cruel_ and that was exactly what she was.

"The shorter guy is Clint Barton. I don't know much about him. I think he lives with his brother in a fucking shack," Tony said, looking back to his food. He picked up the cheeseburger that was nestled under fries. "Mr. Tall and Dark is Loki Laufeyson. You're on your own about him."

"Thanks …" Thor trailed off. He realised that he was staring and looked back to his own food. Lunch was only thirty minutes long and he spent a good portion contemplating about how much he hated his life and the choices that were chosen for him to pay much attention to eating.

"Why do you want to know anyway?" Tony asked in between chewing.

Thor shrugged his shoulders, glancing over at Tony. Steve was staring at him openly. "I've never seen them before."

-x- -x- -x-

"Writing is all about emotion. It's about sending a message, something that will stick with the intended reader. It's something that comes from deep within that's meant to evoke feeling. That's what we're going to work on throughout our journey in this class."

While normally Thor would be paying close attention to what Mr. Banner was saying – he couldn't afford to slack off and get low marks on tests, after all – it was impossible now. His mind was reeling and he couldn't for the life of him believe that he was just now noticing the guy – Loki.

Twenty minutes after class started, the door opened and in he walked. He didn't appear unfazed by having disrupted the class, but Mr. Banner gave him a levelled look. "You're late," As though he didn't know – or care.

"Sorry," Loki replied, walking towards the back of the classroom. He walked past Thor and he could smell the lingering scent of cigarette smoke. "It won't happen again."

"See to it that it doesn't."

Thor turned his head and watched as Loki sat down at his desk, all long legs and graceful movements. He looked ethereal, as though he didn't even belong on their planet. It was hard not to stare at him. His cheekbones were sharp and define; his skin pale and unblemished. And his eyes … Thor had never seen such an eye-colour on a person before.

Only when Loki caught him staring did he snap his head back to where he was facing forward. He felt his cheeks heat up in embarrassment. He was acting foolish. Obviously he had too much on his mind and he hadn't realised that the guy existed. Many kids attended the school – Thor didn't know a third of them, even though they knew him.

So why was Loki Laufeyson any different? The question perplexed Thor, because he honestly didn't have a clue. Perhaps he was so tired of his life that he was imagining things. Perhaps he'd seen Loki a thousand times in the hallway and never saw him until today, when he was feeling so low.

Thor chanced another glance and saw him staring out the window. He had nothing on his desk to take notes with – not that Thor was taking notes at the moment, either, but he at least had a notebook and pen out – and he didn't even have his textbook on the desk. He was just staring out the window, eyes far away, in a different world.

Before Thor was aware of it, the bell was ringing, shocking him out of whatever state he was in. He watched as Loki pulled himself to his feet and strolled from the room, already out of the door before most students even stood from their own seats.

And then Thor woke up, a wave of numbness seeping over him once more. A hand landed on his shoulder, causing him to take a sharp intake of breath. He looked up to find that it was only Steve. "God, you scared me, man," He said, chuckling, willing his heart to calm down. He felt so jumpy all of a sudden, as though he was caught doing something he shouldn't.

"Sorry about that," Steve said, adjusting the strap of his backpack. "Are you ready for practise?"

"Yeah, let's go," Thor replied, standing up and following Steve from the room after collecting his belongings. He would be lying to himself if he said he wasn't searching for one last look at Loki.

But he was already gone.

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Author's Note – This story is mostly finished. Updates will be very three days.


	2. You Tell Those Lies to Me

Author's Note – Ownership of the cover-image goes to Batwynn, as it is her picture. Much thanks to Cassy27 for her help with this story.

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**Chapter Two || You Tell Those Lies to Me****  
**

It was hot outside, the sun blaring down on Thor. He could feel moisture and perspiration running down his back as he worked some of the electrical cords into a safer place. His head was pounding and the screams and shouts of excitement from his fellow students weren't helping matters. Volunteering to help with the pep-rally certainly hadn't been a good idea. Thor chided himself for it and had to make a mental note to never do it again. The headache and the frustration of it all just weren't worth it.

He'd been in a bad mood since he got home from school yesterday afternoon. Coach Coulson had them on the ground, panting like dogs before he finally called it a day. Thor had been dead set on taking a shower and crashing on the couch for a few hours when he got home, but his mother and father had been adamant about talking to him more about his future. By the time they finished, it had been well past eight and he hadn't even started coursework. Needless to say, he was tired and irritable and Thor wanted nothing more than to go somewhere quiet to sit for a while.

Going to one of the coolers that was off to the side of the field they were all on, Thor was once again reminded of why he hated pep-rallies so much. He could see trash under the bleachers and knew that he'd be out there for at least an hour with the other volunteers to clean it all up before the first game the next day. Thor shook his head and uncapped a bottle of water. It was as he was getting ready to take a swig of it that he gave pause, furrowing his brow when he saw movement from under the bleachers.

Loki.

He was leaning against one of the support poles, back completely turned away from the cheerleaders who were performing for the student body, pumping them up. He looked as bored and as frustrated as Thor felt, but significantly cooler. The teachers hadn't caught him yet and he was shielded from the sun.

Setting down his bottled water, Thor found himself moving towards him. He had no idea what he would say to him – if he said anything at all – or what he would do. Perhaps he could come up with a believable story. Something about how hot it was and that he was seeking refuge from the heat for a few minutes. It might work if the execution was good enough. Thor had never been much an actor and he certainly couldn't tell a lie.

When he walked under the bleachers, it felt as though it was twenty degrees cooler. There was a soft breeze that filtered through, making his golden hair blow gently with it. It also felt as though he'd been doused in cold water, because the heat had obviously impaired his judgement. They didn't know each other. They'd never spoken, never even laid eyes on one another – or at least that was true for Thor. He was setting himself up for disaster, but there was nothing he could do about it now. Loki had looked up from whatever it was he had been staring at, emerald green eyes watching him with suspicion.

"Hi," Thor said dumbly. He knew it. The conversation was already doomed to fail.

Loki's brows furrowed. He pushed himself off the support pole. "Hi …"

"I, uh … are you escaping the heat? It's pretty toasty out there."

Loki didn't look at all impressed. If anything, he was staring at Thor as though he'd lost his mind. Thor felt as though he had. Making friends was easy for him, talking to others equally as simple. Why he was making a fool of himself now was a mystery to him.

When it became apparent that Loki wasn't going to say anything, Thor cleared his throat and ran a hair through his slightly damp hair. He felt like a mess. "I'm in Mr. Banner's English-class with you. I was, uh, wondering if you knew what the homework was. I think I might have missed it."

He watched as Loki started rifling through his messenger bag. He hadn't even realised that he had anything on him. Then again, he was only really paying attention to his face. A pack of cigarettes were pulled out of the bag, along with a lighter. "There wasn't any homework."

"Oh … well, that's a relief then," Thor said, eyes moving from Loki to the pack. He was never a fan of them before, but there was something almost elegant about the way Loki put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it up. Thor watched almost mesmerised as Loki's throat constricted slightly as he inhaled, smoke wafting over his face. "I don't think you're supposed to be smoking here."

Instead of getting angry like he thought he would, Loki only looked amused. After blowing another puff of smoke in Thor's direction, Loki raised his brows, eyes widening, as though he were innocent. "Oh, dear, I hope I don't get into trouble. Will you tell?"

Thor opened his mouth to say something, but before he could get out a word, he heard his name being called. For a split second, he was frozen, frantically trying to decide if he should stay and continue talking to Loki or leave. He did have a job to do still. Clearing his throat once more, Thor took a step back. It was time to go.

"I guess your secret is safe with me," Thor found himself saying as he continued to slowly walk backwards, aware of the way Loki's face seemed to get all the more amused. He felt his cheeks heat up. He blamed it on the fact that he was getting closer and closer to the edge. He could already feel the heat. It had nothing to do with embarrassment. Nope, not one bit. "Oh, and thanks … for the, uh … homework …"

Feeling as though he'd done enough damage, Thor spun around and quickly walked away, Loki's laughter ringing in his ears.

-x- -x- -x-

Generally, Thor wasn't an awkward person and he certainly didn't get embarrassed all that easily. He was funny and he was laid-back and a good majourity of the time, he laughed at himself. But he wasn't laughing now. Steve was walking with him through the hallway and Thor couldn't help it as his sparkling blue eyes swept over the many kids milling around. Was Loki around? Did he remember what happened that morning? Would he smile knowingly and laugh to himself? Would he say anything in English-class? Thor felt like he was losing his mind and he had no idea why he cared so much. Why was he even _looking_ for Loki? Why was he desperate to see him again?

"You're going to be useless tomorrow if you're this distracted during the game," Steve suddenly said, gaining Thor's attention. He was staring at Thor with a look that was both confused and amused. Thor didn't pay him much attention, though. Steve Rogers was sneaky and smug and always looking for something to tell Tony.

Thor shrugged his shoulders and gave Steve a smile, adjusting the strap of his backpack. "I just have a lot on my mind."

Steve opened his mouth to speak. He hadn't said anything yet, but Thor could practically hear the blunt response. He never got to say anything, though, because Rhodey – another of Tony's closest friends – ran up, jumping on Steve's back, a huge smile on his face that could only mean one thing – Tony was up to something and it wasn't anything good.

"Shit is about to go down, man!" Rhodey shouted, laughing loudly. He shook Steve, smacked Thor on the shoulder and started rushing down the hallway. Thor only then realised the increase in volume in the hallways. Something was definitely up. "Come on or you'll miss it!"

"Fuck yeah, man!" Steve exclaimed, not even giving Thor a second glance as he quickly followed Rhodey down the hallway, pushing kids out of the way to get to Tony's side.

Sighing, Thor reluctantly headed in that direction, as well. English-class was on that side, so he didn't really have a choice in the matter. Kids were crammed around, craning their heads to get a good look at what looked to be the start of a fight. Thor couldn't tell exactly who was in the circle, but he knew that the fight hadn't started yet. His fellow students would have been much louder.

A flash of flaming red hair caught his attention, though, and Thor found himself moving forward before he was even consciously aware of what he was doing. Being popular – he didn't really consider himself that way since he was friendly with everyone he met – did have advantages, because as soon as he started slinking through the kids, they moved out of the way. Or at least they shifted, giving him room, but not at all willing to give up their spot. He easily found Tony against the lockers, a grin on his face.

Inside of the circle was Loki's friend – Natasha, he remembered her name to be – and Pepper. She looked absolutely furious, and whatever Pepper was saying wasn't making matters any easier. Thor felt heavy, anxious. After a quick glance around the kids standing on the outside of the circle, it wasn't hard at all to spot Loki. He was standing beside Clint and he didn't look as though he was enjoying himself like everyone else. His jaw was set, emerald green eyes blazing at Stark.

"Just do something already if you're so tough," Pepper was saying, extending her arms. When Natasha didn't move, she snorted and looked back at Tony, shaking her head. "You're such a freak, Romanoff – you and the rest of your loser friends."

"The only reason you're even talking to me is because you have the whole school to back you up," Natasha shot back, ignoring the whoops and the obnoxious laughter from all the other kids who were just eating up what was happening. They wanted them to fight. "You and I both know that if no-one was around, you wouldn't be egging on a fight you can't hope to win."

Pepper snorted. "Why are you even _here_? It's not as though you have a good enough future."

"Do you talk just to hear yourself or are you really this stupid?"

"No more stupid than your boyfriend over there," Pepper retorted, motioning to Clint. Behind her, Tony and Steve and Rhodey started laughing. Natasha looked like she was getting ready to explode.

And she did.

Completely disregarding her attempts at physically fighting Pepper, Natasha threw herself at her. The students around them burst into loud jeers and it was all Thor could do but put his hands over his ears, trying to block the noise out.

Natasha was only able to throw a couple punches and slam Pepper into the wall before Loki and Clint ran over, along with Tony and Steve, and Rhodey. Tony was cursing and yelling at the three of them, shoving at Loki who was trying to help Clint pull Natasha away. Rhodey was pulling Pepper from the area while Steve backed Tony up. It was a chaotic mess until several teachers pushed their way through the crowd and got the situation under control.

Thor's heart was pounding the entire time. Students were waved off and ordered to go to their classes while Pepper and Natasha were forced to go to the office. Tony and Loki and Clint were angrily talking to the teachers who were there, both trying to tell their sides of the story, though Thor knew that Tony was lying and saying that Natasha had caused the entire fight.

From what he heard of it before he was ordered to his next class, none of it sounded good.

-x- -x- -x-

Thor didn't know what to expect when he walked into Mr. Banner's classroom. He honestly didn't. The sinking feeling deep in his gut warned him that he needed to tread carefully. He put his books down on the desk and dropped his backpack under it before he looked around the classroom. He found Loki's seat and it was empty. He wondered if Loki would even come into class today after what happened. But just as the thought left his mind, Loki came storming in, cheeks flushed, and emerald green eyes blazing. Cutting his eyes back down, Thor sank into his seat, heart pounding against his rib-cage. The last thing he wanted was for Loki to direct that anger on him.

Once again he found himself wondering why he even cared. Loki felt different to him, but why – because he didn't seem to have a care in the world, because he walked into the cafeteria just the other day like he could run the entire school if he wanted to? It was ridiculous and Thor felt as though he was thinking way too much and way too hard about it.

He was pulled from his thoughts when Mr. Banner started talking about a project that they would be working on. Paired up with another student in the class, each group would have to pick a quote or an excerpt from a poem, recite it to the class, and present what they thought the quote meant to them and what the author was trying to express. It seemed easy enough to Thor – his partner … not so much.

His mouth dropped comically when Mr. Banner called out his name and told him that his partner was Loki Laufeyson. He could feel his heart start to accelerate, his mind going into over-drive. He had no reason to feel that way, of course – as though he had caused some harm to him. He didn't do anything wrong.

After everyone was divided up into pairs, Mr. Banner instructed the class to spend the day talking to their partner and thinking about what they wanted to do. They would start presentations in two weeks, which would give them plenty of time to also write a small paper about the author. The assignment didn't seem hard at all, but when Thor turned back to Loki, he knew right then that it was going to be a very difficult two weeks.

Loki looked like he was going to rip his head off. Wild green eyes were watching him; jaw set tight, hands clenched into balls on his desk, and when it became apparent that he wasn't going to move, Thor – along with everyone else who was moving around to get to their partner – got up, collected his things, and slowly moved to the seat directly in front of him.

"Hey, again," Thor started hesitantly, unsure of what he should do or say, if he should bring up what happened in the hallway before class started, because Loki didn't look happy at all. And with the way he was being glared at … well. Something definitely needed to be said. "Listen, about what happened –"

"How dare you," Thor blinked and snapped his mouth closed. "Do you and your _friends_ take enjoyment out of acting like fucking douche-bags?" His voice came out as a hiss, so it was no wonder Mr. Banner didn't hear, but Thor felt his face flush at how harsh he sounded.

"I – look, I have no idea what any of that was about," Thor said, holding his hands out as though preparing to stop Loki should he decide to attack him. Thor had a feeling that Loki was a scratcher, among other things. "I wasn't even around –"

"I saw you right beside Stark."

"I got there a minute before Pepper was attacked! I have no idea –" He realised what his words sounded like after they left his mouth, and Thor wished he had time to think before he said anything. He made it sound as though Natasha had gone out of her way to attack Pepper and that certainly wasn't the case. If anything, she looked as though she wasn't interested at all in fighting. Or that was the case until Clint had been brought into the fight.

"You all think you're so much better than everyone else in this school, because your mummy and daddy are rich," Loki sneered, leaning forward, closing the distance between them just a bit. Thor didn't move. Despite feeling anxious about being so close to Loki, he could also feel anger slowly start to seep in. "She did nothing and you goaded her into a fight and got her suspended for the next two days."

"Look, I'm sorry, all right? But I had absolutely nothing to do with what happened. I don't even know why –" Thor cut himself off when he noticed Mr. Banner making his way through the desks, obviously observing the groups, checking their progress, answering their questions if there were any.

Biting down on his bottom lip, Loki snatched Thor's notebook from him and turned it to a clean page. He started writing as Mr. Banner got closer to them. "We'll alternate the paragraphs for our paper. I'll write the introduction and conclusion, because I like to start and finish things –" It was a clear message. What happened in the hallway certainly wouldn't end with Natasha getting suspended and Pepper walking away innocent. It shouldn't have made him as nervous as it did. "I'll write the second body paragraph and you can write the other two paragraphs. I'm also good at reciting, so we can choose the quote next class. Here is my email."

And that was that. When Mr. Banner walked on, Loki shoved the notebook back at Thor and leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms. The conversation was over. Nodding his head slowly, Thor turned around to face the front of the class, wondering why he felt as though he had done something wrong.

The bell rang about twenty-five minutes later. Loki was out of his seat and already through the door. Thor sighed and collected his things, following the rest of the students out of the classroom.

* * *

Author's Note – This story is mostly finished. Updates will be very three days.


	3. Just Be Straight Up

Author's Note – Ownership of the cover-image goes to Batwynn, as it is her picture. Much thanks to Cassy27 for her help with this story.

* * *

**Chapter Three || Just Be Straight Up****  
**

The music was too loud. The kids screaming were too loud. Tony Stark was just too fucking loud.

He was drinking. What else could he possibly do while at one of Tony's parties? They had won the first football game of the season, completely dominating the Alfheim Elves. That was whatever. Thor honestly didn't give a damn. It was just another check off of an endless list of things Thor had to do that week. But it was a big deal to everyone else, hence the reason for the party and the noise that came with it.

Thor had stayed around Tony and Steve and Rhodey and Pepper for as long as he was needed before the four of them started acting more ridiculous and stupid than usual. After that, he was gone. He gave the excuse of going to find more alcohol and hadn't been back since. He was now walking aimlessly around the mansion, counting down the minutes to when it would be appropriate to head home. He'd like to think that his parents would go to bed on time, but after tonight, he was pretty sure that they would stay up and expect an update on how his day went, how he played during the game, and how Tony was doing. It made him sick how interested they were in him, but what could he do? Tony Stark – and his father – secured not only his future, but theirs, as well.

Pushing those thoughts from his mind, Thor took a rather large gulp of the beer that was in his plastic red cup, walking around the side of the mansion. He'd gone outside and cleared his head. There was as much of a party going on outside as there was one inside, but at least the one outside wasn't as crammed. Thor had felt as though he was going to suffocate in there.

The side of the mansion was lined by trees despite the fact that there wasn't another house close by. Thor walked through them, enjoying the separation. The music still made the ground feel as though it was shaking with how loudly it was, but there weren't any people around. It was just Thor with a cup full of beer. Some of the trees had lights in them, and Thor used that to guide him through, not that he could get lost, of course.

He thought that he was alone. The last thing he expected to find were several tire-swings tied to thicker branches along the trees, and he certainly didn't expect to find Loki sitting in one of them, a plastic red cup of beer of his own. At first he thought that he'd been drinking too much, because there was no way that Loki would be at one of Tony Stark's parties, especially after what happened yesterday. But there he was, chin resting on his arm.

Should he approach? Should he just turn around and walk away? They didn't say a word to each other earlier in English-class and, the last time they spoke, Loki had looked as though he was ready to kill someone. He then wondered if he should confront Loki. He had been accused of having something to do with what happened between Pepper and Natasha Romanoff and that hadn't been the case at all. He couldn't stand Pepper and the cruel side of him wouldn't have minded at all if the girl had gotten the sense knocked into her.

In the end, it was Loki who made the decision for him. It was as Thor was turning around to leave as quietly as he came did Loki speak up. "Hey."

That was it. It was that greeting and call of acknowledgement that froze Thor in his place. He tightened the hold he had on that plastic red cup before shifting his body to where he had it angled towards Loki. "Hey," He said in reply, unsure of where Loki was – if he was still angry or if he seemed calmer. He didn't have a lot of experience reading him – he honestly just took notice in him a few days ago – but from what he could see, Loki appeared the latter.

Loki didn't seem as though he was going to say anything. Of course, he would be the strong, silent type. Thor figured there was a point to that. Thor didn't know names, but he recognised faces. The more well-known people were, the greater the likelihood of Tony making fun or pestering them in some way, and seeing as how he only took notice of Loki … well. It made sense.

Clearing his throat, Thor found himself shuffling his foot in the grass. When that didn't hold his interest, he took another gulp, allowing the beer to jumble and disorient his thoughts. "So what is this? You get my attention and don't say anything?"

It was a joke and Thor was thankful that Loki smiled instead of snapping at him. He watched as Loki shrugged his shoulders, picking his chin up from where he had it resting on his arm. "I like watching you scramble for something to say to fill the silence."

"Yeah, I'm not one for uncomfortable silences," Thor chuckled, lifting a hand to run it through his hair. Only when he did, did he realise that Loki was lifting a cigarette to his lips. He furrowed his brows. "You sure are addicted to those things."

"I'm addicted to nicotine. That's generally what happens when a Russian introduces them to you."

"Oh."

"Does it bother you?" Loki raised his eyebrows in question.

Thor opened and closed his mouth several times before deciding it best to just keep it closed. He had no idea how to answer the question, so he just shrugged his shoulders. Yes, the smell of it bothered him. The smell was absolutely disgusting. But _how_ Loki smoked certainly didn't bother him in the slightest, and the revelation of it shocked him. Choosing instead to not answer was probably best. Loki could take it however he wanted.

He narrowed his eyes, as though he was trying to figure Thor out. "Interesting," He finally said, voice low, but not low enough for Thor not to hear. It was Thor's turn to raise his brows.

"Interesting in a bad way?"

"No."

Once again, Loki left him hanging, not divulging his curiosity and simply staring at him. It should have frustrated him, because Thor was never one to be kept in the dark, but it didn't. It was yet another thing that confused him, but this was Loki and, so far, he had been shrouded in mystery. He was an enigma that suddenly fascinated him.

Changing the subject, Thor ventured a few steps closer, wrapping a hand around the rope of one of the tire-swings, jostling it slightly. "So what are you doing here? I wouldn't have pegged you for a partier."

Loki shrugged. "I wouldn't have pegged you for one, either," He grinned at Thor before looking away. As he watched Loki play with the condensation rolling down his cup, Thor swallowed. Maybe he was thinking too much into it, but he felt as though Loki was seeing right through the walls that he constructed for himself. Or maybe he was just drinking too much and was more buzzed than he previously thought. He shook his head. When Thor didn't say anything in return, Loki sighed. "I needed to get out of my house. And while I was out, I figured I would get drunk. Stark's house seemed the place to be – free alcohol."

"Oh."

"I also thought that you would be here …"

That definitely got Thor's attention. His sparkling blue eyes widened slightly and he opened his mouth to say something, but he didn't know what to say. "Oh," He cursed himself.

Loki snorted, though he kept his gaze on his cup. "I, uh … you didn't have anything to do with what happened to Natasha. I saw when you arrived and you didn't look as though you knew what was going on. I was just angry that Tony's bitch got away with it and Natasha was the one suspended."

"She really is a fucking bitch," Thor said, nodding in agreement. When Loki looked up at him with raised brows, Thor shrugged his shoulders. "Given the choice, I'd rather hang out with you than any of them. You don't seem like a pretentious ass-hole."

Tossing his cup to the side, Loki climbed out of the tire-swing and, after taking one more pull of his cigarette he dropped it and stepped on it. "Wanna get out of here?"

"And go where?"

"I know a place that's still open at this hour. They serve nice breakfast," At Thor's silence – even with the faint light surrounding them from the trees, Thor could see him blush some – Loki cleared his throat and started walking towards the sound of the music, which was still pulsating around them. "We need to get more in depth with what we're doing for the project. I don't like fucking around and waiting till the last minute to get shit down."

Thor grinned. "I'm actually starving, so yeah, let's get out of here."

-x- -x- -x-

The diner that Loki took Thor to was definitely away from the normal places that he would haunt. The red paint was chipping off the walls and the inside had a faint odour of grease. Surprisingly, though, Thor actually liked the place. Inside was homey and a bit on the warm side with cheap vinyl upholstery that was sticky. Loki must have been a usual, because the young woman who worked there – Loki greeted her as Sif – handed them menus and only asked Thor what he wanted to drink and eat. She must have had Loki's order memorised.

Ten minutes later, two hot plates were placed in front of them. Loki had eggs and bacon and hash-browns, and a biscuit on the side. Thor had pancakes and eggs and sausage. They compromised some after inspecting each other's plates. Loki gave up half of his biscuit and some of his bacon for one pancake. He stole a bit of sausage, too, but Thor didn't say anything.

"So what were you thinking for the project?" Thor asked after several minutes of simply eating. The silence wasn't uncomfortable or anything. Thor actually enjoyed being able to drift without feeling as though he needed to fill the quiet.

Loki was quiet for a minute, slowly chewing. "Nothing to do with love – I hate that sappy shit."

"Okay …" Thor tried to think, but honestly, he was drawing a blank. He had never been a calm kid. He was always moving, always doing something. He had no time to sit down and read, so picking a quote and finding meaning to it actually seemed a bit more daunting than he originally thought.

"_'Victory's contagious. In all chaos, there is calculation_'," Loki said. When Thor raised his eyebrows in question, Loki looked down and started cutting what was left of his pancake into smaller pieces. "Life is a game and we are all striving to win. We win a round and we endeavour to win another and another. Eventually, we learn to play better, harder. It's strategy. It's life. That is all life is."

Thor didn't know what to say. He certainly wasn't expecting _that_. But it was beautiful and elegant and mind-blowing to Thor, insightful. "Wow …"

Loki grinned. "I read a lot."

"What else do you like to do?"

He hummed. "Plot world domination – subjugating this world seems like a good idea, seeing as how quickly it's going to hell."

"Sounds like a tough gig for one guy," Thor rolled his eyes then looked down at his plate, slowly feeling his good mood slip. "… I don't know what I like to do. I never seem to have enough time to do anything."

"Why?"

"… I'm always doing what everyone else wants me to do."

"Why?"

Thor looked up at Loki then. He didn't know if he was just too blind to see it or what, but he laughed pathetically, almost manic. "I don't fucking know."

"Well, don't you think you need to find out?" Loki asked. He slouched in his seat and propped his feet up beside Thor, ankles crossed. He played with a bit of his hash-browns before putting a fork-full in his mouth.

"My parents have this plan –" Thor started – he had no idea why he was saying any of this, but he _wanted_ to tell him for some reason – only to be unceremoniously cut off by Loki.

"I'm sure you love your parents and all – and I apologise for how crude this'll sound – but fuck them. This is your life. Live it how _you_ want to live it."

Thor shook his head and forced a chuckle. "You're deep."

"More like experienced," Loki said. When Thor gave him a puzzled look, Loki merely shook his head. "_'And like the sea, I'm constantly changing from calm to hell'_. That's true about every human being, is it not?"

Thor felt as though Loki was describing him. He didn't take offense. "Thank you."

He didn't even know why he said it, but it was already out and there was no taking it back. It obviously threw Loki off guard, who opened his mouth to say something, but clearly couldn't think of anything to say in reply for the longest time.

"What?" He seemed to settle on.

"I don't know," _For seeing me and not looking away._

-x- -x- -x-

He hadn't wanted to get up. His bed was too perfect. The sheets were nice and warm; a cool breeze from the cracked window had kept him from over-heating. His pillows were just right, the blankets wrapped around him just right. The very thought of getting up made him want to whine in protest and bury himself even deeper in the cocoon of warmth, but he knew that if he didn't, his mother and father would simply come up and get him. There was no sleeping in, no matter what day of the week it was. There was too much to do and so little time to do it all in.

Forcing himself from bed, Thor went into the bathroom, brushed his teeth, showered, and then emerged. The longing to crawl back into bed was still strong, but at least he felt more awake. He'd straighten the bed later to quench the temptation entirely after breakfast.

He found Odin and Frigga in the kitchen, the pair making breakfast. The smell of pancakes and bacon filled the air, Thor's thoughts immediately going back to last night with Loki in that diner. His stomach seemed to flutter, his chest growing light. He felt almost … _giddy_. Shaking his head, he moved deeper into the room to greet his parents. It was just too early to be thinking about Loki.

"Morning," Thor greeted when he moved deeper inside the spacious kitchen. After giving Frigga a kiss on the cheek, he grabbed a glass from the cupboard and poured himself some orange juice.

"How was the game last night, son?" Odin asked. He was buttering toast and putting them on their individual plates. He looked up and grinned at Thor, and Thor couldn't help but roll his eyes, his lips quirking upwards slightly.

"You know how the game went," He replied, shaking his head when Odin chuckled.

Things seemed … easy. A good majourity of the time, Thor despised his parents, because they were pushy and controlling and compulsive about anything and everything to do with his life. But sometimes … sometimes they were really great. Sometimes they acted like parents should, teasing and joking around with their children. Thor could feel his body relaxing –

– Or it started to relax before Frigga opened her mouth and ruined his serenity. "And what about the party at Tony's house – how did that go?"

What she really meant to ask was _did you meet Howard Stark and, if you did, what did you say to him?_ And just like that, whatever semblance of a good mood was stripped from him, leaving him feeling tired and irritable. Was that truly all they cared about? Even Odin looked up at that, his eyes sharpening, all hints of playfulness seeping from him, being replaced with business. Because that's all Thor was to them – _business_.

Pursing his lips, Thor cleared his throat and picked up his glass, taking small, slow sips of the orange juice, trying to figure out what exactly he wanted to tell them. The chances of them taking the news of him ditching the party – and any attempts at meeting Howard Stark – to spend time with Loki probably wouldn't end well. Thor decided to merely shrug his shoulders. If they wanted to know about what happened – or what didn't happen – then they would have to come out and ask him directly. He was tired of the evasive questions.

"Thor?" Odin prompted.

"Yes?"

Frigga gave a sharp exhalation, levelling Thor with a look that would have normally brought his gaze down and bend to their will. He just … didn't feel like doing that – not now. "Do you not care about your future at all? Or are you just trying to be difficult?"

Thor did roll his eyes that time. "I might be more willing if you and father would back off and stop pressuring me. It's my life. Let _me_ live it."

Odin narrowed his one good eye, not at all appreciating the way that he and Frigga were being spoken to. He put down the butter knife he was using and placed his hands firmly against the counter. "Thor, we have talked about this before. Your mother and I –"

"Yeah, I know what you're trying to do, but I think you're taking it too far. I'm just a junior. I'm still a kid and you're acting like I'm running out of time. Let me live a little."

"You _are_ running out of time!" Thor flinched back when Odin slammed his fist down on the counter. All traces of a good mood were gone now. Odin looked as cross and bitter as he always appeared. "I started out too late and now –"

"Your time is over! Stop trying to live my life for me!" Thor had no idea where that came from. His chest was heaving. Never had he spoken to his parents like that, but _damn_, did it feel good. Without another word, Thor turned around and stormed out of the kitchen, ignoring the shouts calling him back, ignoring everything.

* * *

Author's Note – This story is mostly finished. Updates will be very three days.


	4. Honesty

Author's Note – Ownership of the cover-image goes to Batwynn, as it is her picture. Much thanks to Cassy27 for her help with this story.

* * *

**Chapter Four|| Honesty****  
**

Monday rolled around. Tony was asking about him, wanting to know where he was Friday night at the party. He had texted throughout the weekend, sent a few emails, but Thor hadn't replied to them. He hadn't wanted to then and he didn't want to now. But it was only a matter of time before Tony found him in the halls, and he certainly didn't want it to _look_ as though he was avoiding him, even though he _was_. He hung out with him for a bit before the first bell rang for show, but evaded his company as much as he could after that.

Thor found himself searching for Loki in the hallways in between classes, taking his time getting to the cafeteria during lunch, because he wanted to catch a glimpse of him. There hadn't been any communication between the two of them since Friday night after the party. Even though Thor had his email, he couldn't send a message. He didn't know why he felt so worried and anxious, why his heart pounded just a little bit harder whenever he thought about him. He felt ridiculous. He'd just noticed Loki five days ago. There was no reason to feel so … smitten.

It was just fascination. That was all there was to it. Thor's life was nothing but pattern and routine and the same things happened all the time. The only reason why he felt to intrigued and enthralled by Loki was because he was something new.

Tuesday rolled by, followed by Wednesday and Thursday. The contact that Thor had with Tony and Steve and Pepper and Rhodey dwindled a little more each day. He didn't know if he had just chosen to ignore how horrible they were, because he was hanging out with them, but as the distance between them grew, Thor found himself disgusted with not only them, but himself, as well. How he could have sat by them and listened to them talk negatively about those who were less fortunate was despicable. They were rude and obnoxious and spoiled as hell.

Thor guessed he had Loki to thank for his sudden change in behaviour. Ever since their talk in the diner – as short as it was – Thor found that he wasn't quite the same afterwards. While before he would have pushed his feelings back and acquiesced to his parents' demands, did whatever and went along with Tony and his friends, now … now Thor just … didn't. It felt as though everything was starting to click into place. He hadn't been happy with the way his life was turning out and he sought to change that now.

The first step was dumping the old friends that he had and finding new ones.

Walking into the cafeteria on that Thursday, Thor felt both anxious and re-vitalised, as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders and he was able to begin anew. He got in late and, instead of walking straight until he got to his table, Thor turned right and walked towards the table that Loki and his friends was currently sitting at. Halfway to said table, Thor felt confident, but as he started getting closer, as he watched the three friends smile and talk quietly to each other, he felt as though he was imposing. What was he even doing? He was acting as though they were willing to let him in. And what relationship did he even have with Loki? They didn't talk, didn't make an effort to hang out with each other. And the only time that they did talk to each other was when it involved the project that they were working on that was due the following Friday, and that was only during English-class. What was he thinking?

But there was no turning back, because he'd finally arrived at the table. Three pairs of eyes looked up at him, expectantly, and Thor could only stare at them. Words had evaded him and Thor could feel a blush colour his cheeks, especially when he caught the eye of Natasha Romanoff. Thankfully, though, a second passed before Loki spoke up, Thor's eyes snapping over to him.

"Hey, Thor," He said, leaning back in his seat. "Care to sit?"

Loki was obviously taking pity on him, because he looked like such a fool, but instead of taking offense, Thor nodded his head gratefully. This meeting was not going well. "Sorry for just …" _Popping up, seeking refuge. _He trailed off, unsure of how to describe it.

Loki casually waved his hand, dismissing Thor's words. "Don't worry about it. I see you've left those ass-holes and decided to go off on your own."

Thor furrowed his brow, unsure of what to say to that. How did Loki know that he had stopped hanging out with Tony and his friends? Was he watching Thor? Thor didn't know what to think of that, but from the tingle in his gut, he figured he wasn't really all that uneasy about it. In fact, he felt a little flattered by it. Perhaps his fascination wasn't entirely one-sided.

Before Thor could think of anything to say, Natasha spoke up, her voice cold and agitated. "What are you doing here?" She demanded, and then her deep blue eyes immediately snapping to Clint, as though she could feel his shocked disappointment, who was staring at her.

Loki made a small sound of disapproval. "Manners, Natasha."

"No, it's fine. I probably deserve it."

"Do you?"

Thor shrugged his shoulders before looking back at Natasha, who had turned her glower back to him. "I'm sorry about what happened with Pepper. She's a bitch and that fight honestly shouldn't have ended as quickly as it did," He quirked a small, but mischievous smile. "I'd say that getting tossed around would have knocked some sense into her, but some people are just too stupid to help."

Reading Natasha was almost as impossible as reading Loki, so Thor didn't even try. He hoped that his comment would assure her of where he stood with Tony and the rest of his old friends, but he couldn't tell what she was thinking. Loki, at least, looked assured, a smirk on his own face. Even Clint seemed to be impressed, or at the very least, amused.

Leaning forward, the sandy haired boy propped his forearms on the table. "And what brings you over to our side of the cafeteria, Thor?"

He pursed his lips, deciding to himself that he wouldn't over-think his answers. It wasn't an interrogation, after all. "I think sanctuary would make me seem desperate, so I'll go with …" As he struggled to find the right words, Thor happened to glance at Loki. He knew then. "I'm just tired of pretending to be someone I'm not."

"So what – you weren't happy with the rest of your rich friends?" Natasha shot at Thor. The table jostled and she glared at Loki. There was a lot of kicking going on under the table.

"There's more to it than that, but yeah, something along those lines," Thor replied after a moment's hesitation.

Nothing was said after that and Thor feared that he said something wrong. Natasha certainly didn't look happy and Loki wasn't helping him at all. Those wild green eyes were simply staring at him with a look that Thor couldn't even hope to decipher. He felt, in a way, that he was being studied. Just what was Loki thinking? Finally, though, Clint spoke up.

"Well then. Welcome to the table of freaks."

-x- -x- -x-

He decided to skip football practise again. It wasn't a hard decision to make, really. Thor hadn't been invested in that game for a long time now, so knowing that he wouldn't have to worry about it was relieving. After English-class – Loki was the first one out yet again, not even bothering to say goodbye to him, not that he expected him to – Thor made his way down the hallway, trying to figure out exactly what he was going to do with the two hours that he had to waste before heading home.

He didn't get to ponder his choices all that long, though, because no sooner had he turned the corner and headed for his locker, he found Tony Stark leaning against it. He slowed his pace and looked around, thinking that the others would be close by, but they weren't. It was just Tony, messing with his fingernails, waiting.

Furrowing his brow, Thor made his way over cautiously. He didn't know why he felt anxious, nervous even. Perhaps it was because no-one messed with Tony and Thor was outright defying him by hanging out with Loki and his friends. Perhaps it was because he was ignoring him and wanting nothing more to do with him. Either way, Thor had a feeling that this wasn't going to end well.

"Hey, man," Thor greeted when he got to his locker, trying to at least sound as though he didn't hate his guts. "What's up?"

"I was actually going to ask you the same thing," Tony replied, looking up from where he was still messing with his fingers. "Is everything all right? You have been avoiding me since the party Friday night and you haven't been to practise all week."

Thor shrugged his shoulders. "I've had a lot on my mind."

Tony smirked and nodded his head, acting like he knew something that Thor didn't. He didn't know why, but he felt a swell of frustration overtake him, coursing over his entire body until he wanted nothing more than to shove Tony out of the way and get what he needed from his locker and leave. He had been blinded before of Tony's behaviour, but now that his eyes were open, Thor found that his patience for the man was completely gone.

"Is there something that you wanted, because I have other things –?"

"What are you doing with Laufeyson?" Tony interrupted. "Besides ruining your reputation, I mean, because everyone knows what kind of a freak he and his friends are."

The frustration Thor was feeling was nothing in comparison to the sudden anger that overcame him. Who in the hell did Tony think he was? He didn't even know Loki or his friends! But jumping to defend them would only cause Tony to pay even more attention to them. Natasha had already been suspended, because of their antics. He would feel worse if they were to target Clint and do the same to him – or Loki.

Jaw clenched, Thor willed himself to remain still. The last thing he needed was showing Tony just how much he hated him. "What does it matter to you what I'm doing? I'm my own person. I don't need your permission to hang out with whoever I want."

"No, I guess you don't," Tony replied, shrugging his shoulders, looking as though he didn't have a care in the world. If anything, he actually looked like he was enjoying himself. "I'm just trying to look out for you. Loki Laufeyson and his merry band of freaks are bad news."

"I'll be the judge of that."

Tony made a clicking noise with his tongue before pushing himself away from Thor's locker. He was smug looking and Thor wanted more than anything to punch him right in the nose. He didn't do anything, though, just stared at him with – what he hoped – was a blank expression on his face. "You aren't very good at picking friends, are you?"

"I guess I'm not," Thor shot back, not taking his eyes off of Tony. Thor knew that he got the message, because his chocolate brown eyes darkened.

"I'll have to show you then."

That was all Tony said. After giving Thor a hard look, he turned around and walked off, presumably towards the football field where practise was being held. Thor watched him go with a sinking feeling. Despite the annoyance he felt at the moment, Thor couldn't help but wonder if he had initiated something. It certainly sounded threatening …

Sighing, Thor shook his head and opened his locker. Switching out a few books – he did have to take care of some coursework that was due the next day – Thor slammed it shut and headed out of the school. As he was heading to his car, though, he happened to glance towards the picnic area that was to the side of the entrance and slowed to a stop. Loki was sitting there, smoking a cigarette. He paused, unsure if he should tempt fate and go talk to him for the second time that day. After a moment's hesitation, Thor headed over in his direction. What was the worst that could happen?

Loki looked up at the sound of his approach and Thor was glad that he didn't look annoyed. Or at least that was what it seemed. Thor wasn't anywhere close to being able to read the man or his facial expressions. "Hey," He called.

"Hey," Loki replied back, dropping the cigarette and crushing it under his boot before standing up, blowing out a puff of smoke. He picked up his messenger bag and swung it over his shoulder. "You busy? I'm bored and don't want to go home just yet."

He _was_ busy. He had two classes' worth of assignments that were due the next day that he had been putting off, simply because he didn't want to work on them. He should tell Loki that he couldn't hang out with him and just go find a quiet corner in the library and take care of his coursework. But Thor just didn't want to do that. The idea of being stuck in a silent library for the rest of the day sounded rather boring compared to the chance of hanging out with Loki.

So Thor shrugged his shoulders. "What do you have in mind?"

-x- -x- -x-

'_So, do you have any more quotes for our project? It's due next Friday, you know'_, Thor wrote in his email before sending it off to Loki. It was close to nine and Thor was just getting started on his coursework. He was pulling for an all-nighter, but it wasn't as daunting or as overwhelming as Thor would have thought. In fact, he was feeling pretty relaxed. Perhaps that was because he was emailing Loki. Perhaps it was because he had a distraction and wasn't entirely focussed on what he was doing. Thor was sure that it was the former.

They had gone to the same diner that they went to Friday night, almost an entire week ago. They had ordered the same meal and, though the conversation wasn't heavy – they hardly talked at all, really - it was nice. Thor had not felt like breaking the silence. If anything, it was Loki who had initiated the conversation at certain points, asking questions, inquiring a bit into Thor's personal life. It wasn't much, but the atmosphere was relaxing. Thor had been disappointed when it was time to say goodbye.

But while he had been nervous and anxious about emailing Loki earlier, he didn't feel so now. After he had showered and relaxed in front of the television for a few hours, Thor got himself behind his laptop and sent Loki an email. They had been talking for a little over half an hour.

_'When the sky falls then it will be very man for himself'_, Loki's email read when it finally came with a little chime. Thor smiled and finished the maths problem he was working on before reading the rest of the message. _'It speaks of humanity's desperation for survival. Perhaps it is evoked from Darwin's 'survival of the fittest'.'_

Thor snorted and leaned over the keyboard, his fingers dancing over the buttons as he typed up a reply. _'How about we meet after school tomorrow and figure something concrete out. I'm not going to football practise, so we have two hours to play with before I'm due back home,'_ Only after he sent the reply did he realise how ridiculous he sounded. He was relieved, though, when he got the reply.

_'All right – I suggest we go somewhere else besides the diner.'_

_ 'Uh, yeah, I think that's a good idea. I can't believe you dragged me out of there like that. We didn't even pay! I'm surprised we weren't arrested.'_

_ 'When is the last time you've lived a little?'_

Leaning back in his seat, Thor stared at those nine words. Loki had no idea how much weight was behind them. But it wasn't a bad weight – not at all.

Something had shifted inside of Thor, something that suddenly changed the way he viewed things. He'd gone along with everything he'd been told. It had bothered him, but he'd never done anything to change the way his life seemed to be playing out before him. He had done nothing to put a stop to the stress that his parents were putting on his shoulders or the unhappiness and loneliness when he was around his peers and the people he thought were his friends.

It was ridiculous how a few words – _"This is your life. Live it how you want to live it."_ – could change everything. It was so simple and yet it took talking to someone who was practically a stranger to open his eyes and make him see how far he was spiralling out of control.

He owed a lot to Loki.

_'Maybe I'm worried about you. You two obviously know each other. She'll come for your head, not mine,'_ Thor ended up writing, feeling a smile curve his lips upwards.

_'Sif is vindictive. She'll come after you to get to me.'_

Thor laughed. It was much easier to talk to Loki than he originally thought. Or maybe it was because they were talking over the Internet and not face-to-face. That was a viable reason. They had certainly talked more through email than they had in person. But Thor wasn't complaining. He enjoyed talking to Loki. He _liked_ Loki. He _liked_ that he could talk to him and not feel as though he was being judged by what he said. He _liked_ that he could be in his company and actually _be_ himself. He hadn't felt that way in a long time and it was great.

He could feel his smile slowly wean some, though, could feel anxiety creeping in, settling deep in his gut. Thor didn't know if he was doing something wrong or if he was just over-thinking. Everything seemed to be changing so quickly. Almost a week after talking to Loki at that diner, he had been going against his parents, skipping football practise, ridding himself of his old friends. Was he doing the right thing? Was he just acting out in defiance? Pursing his lips, Thor bit down on his bottom lip as he typed out another reply, much slower this time, though.

_'Do you want to skip tomorrow? I'm not really feeling school,'_ Thor found himself typing. His stomach twisted uncomfortably as he waited for a response.

_'Yeah, sure,'_ Loki's reply was.

The anxiety churned in his gut a bit more. It made him squirm in place. _'Or maybe hang out over the weekend?'_

_'We'll hang out whenever you like, Thor.'_

The reply calmed and soothed him after he re-read it at least three times. Loki was giving him the choice, giving him the control. Of course, they saw each other every day, but Loki was giving Thor the power as to whether they could see each other after school. Shaking his head, Thor forced himself to take a deep breath and relax. He was acting foolish. Everything would work out. It had to … right?

* * *

Author's Note – This story is mostly finished. Updates will be very three days.


	5. What I Wanna Hear

Author's Note – Ownership of the cover-image goes to Batwynn, as it is her picture. Much thanks to Cassy27 for her help with this story.

* * *

**Chapter Five || What I Wanna Hear**

Coach Coulson was probably going to tear him to pieces for missing an entire week's worth of practise. Tony and Steve and Rhodey were probably going to target him on the field and make his life difficult while Pepper laughed and cheered on the side-lines. He was probably going to have the worst time ever for two hours, wishing he was somewhere else. So why was he even going? That was a question that Thor had been constantly asking himself. He was already late and he really didn't want to go, so why was he dressing into his uniform in the empty locker room? And why hadn't he already quit, because playing football obviously wasn't something he wanted to do anymore?

Maybe because he was a coward and the very thought of dealing with his parents' wrath was enough to at least keep him in line.

Shaking his head, Thor slammed his locker shut and slowly pushed his way out of the changing rooms, wondering if he walked slow enough, he would miss practise altogether. Technically, he would have still been there and he could banish the nagging thoughts in his head that were trying to get him to return back to his old ways.

Perhaps he was being fearful, because there was so much change going on that, despite how much he hated it, the old ways was something he was used to. Change was hard and Thor felt as though he was moving too quickly. Baby steps – he had to take baby steps.

Letting out a sigh, Thor took the side door that led outside and started walking towards the football field, his pace slow, resigned almost. He _really_ didn't want to be there. It didn't feel like he belonged and he certainly didn't want to be around the likes of Tony and his friends. His thoughts were jumbled, though, chaotic, and the familiarity – despite his feelings towards it – was refreshing almost.

Of course, he was knocked off kilter when he rounded the side of the building and saw Loki sitting at one of the picnic tables closest to the shade with Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton. He stopped walking immediately, wondering what he should do. Loki hadn't noticed him yet – would he think harshly of him should he walk past them to football practise? Hadn't he said then that he was trying to be himself and now he was going back to what everyone was expecting of him? How would that make him look?

Thor could feel his heart start to pound, anxiety slowly creeping in. This wasn't supposed to happen. Thor wasn't supposed to feel this way around Loki, because he was supposed to be that enigma that kept Thor wanting to know more. He didn't want to have to avoid him for fear of what he would think. But before he could turn around and walk back into the building, hide there for a while until Loki left or find another way to the football field, Loki looked up and caught his eyes.

It was too late. There was no turning back now. Forcing himself to take a deep breath, Thor gave a little wave and slowly started walking towards the table. He just had to hope for the best and pray that they didn't tear him apart and banish him.

"Hey," He called when he was close enough for them to hear.

"Hello, Thor," Loki replied, eyes taking in his appearance. Thor didn't feel any better, despite how cheerful Loki's voice sounded. "I think you're late. Practise has been going on for at least thirty minutes."

"Yeah, I've, uh … been trying to talk myself out of going."

Loki furrowed his brow. Thor didn't know yet if that was a good thing or a bad thing whenever he did that, but he brushed the thought away when Clint pushed his bag off of the seat beside him and motioned him over.

The sun was beating down on him as he walked, but the shade of the picnic table gave him some relief from it. It was yet another factour that Thor was considering. Though he enjoyed the sun, the heat was a bit too much today – perhaps it would be wise to just not go? He was already talking with Loki and his friends. He could stay with them and then go to change ten minute before practise was over. He could try again tomorrow if he felt the stress of change bearing down on him once more.

When he sat down next to Clint, Thor smiled at him. Out of Loki's two friends, Clint was obviously the nicer one. From how close he was sitting to the sandy-haired man, he could see how bright and vibrant his eyes were, how the corners of his mouth were crinkled, indicating how much he smiled. Despite the torment that Tony and Steve and Rhodey and Pepper were giving them, at least he was still able to smile.

Across from Thor sat Natasha, and she certainly didn't have crinkles at the corners of her mouth. In fact, she seemed to have a permanent scowl on her face – or perhaps that was just when Thor was around. She didn't seem to like him at all. But she had yet to say anything and, for that, Thor was grateful. He didn't feel like defending himself, didn't feel like answering questions that he more than likely didn't know himself.

"I was in the middle of scolding my so-called _friends_," Loki said after a beat, all queries and furrowed brows forgotten. Now Loki was grinning, and Thor quite liked the way it made his wild green eyes shine, despite being concealed in the shadow that the picnic table's umbrella provided. "They've made plans for this weekend without me."

Clint grinned, shrugging his shoulders. "Sorry, man, but I doubt you want to see the movie that we're going to."

"And what movie might that be? You have yet to tell me, so how am I supposed to know?"

"I don't know the name of it, either – some stupid chick-flick," Clint replied, only to immediately hiss in pain, vibrant-coloured eyes immediately latching onto dark blues. There was more kicking under the table. Thor grinned. "Which I'm very much looking forward to watching," He added, earning a sweet look from Natasha. Or it would have been considered sweet had it not come from her face. Thor would be the first to admit that she was quite the intimidating one.

Loki pursed his lips before turning his gaze to Thor. "You still want to hang out this weekend? Since my _friends_ are going to be busy with each other – use protection, Clint – we'll just have to keep ourselves pre-occupied."

"Yeah, that works," Thor replied, grinning at the undignified squawking noise that Clint made at Loki's jibe. Despite earlier concerns, Thor found himself slowly relaxing. Everything was okay. Though Natasha didn't seem as willing to allow him into their little circle, Loki and Clint seemed more than happy. Everything seemed to be turning out all right.

– Or at least that was before Natasha abruptly stood, throwing her partner a hard look. She leaned down and kissed Loki on the cheek, completely ignoring Thor, as though he didn't exist. It shouldn't have surprised or wounded him as much as it did, but he didn't allow it to show, simply sat quietly and waited.

"We have to go pick up a few things. I'll call you, okay?"

"Of course, of course," Loki replied, eyes trailing on Thor, as though assessing how he was doing, before sending Natasha a small smile. "I'll see you on Monday then."

Another meaningful look was sent Clint's way before Natasha walked off. Sighing, the sandy-haired man stood and smacked Thor on the shoulder. "I'll see you guys later – and _yes_, Loki, I'll be using protection," Clint said, that grin sliding back into place. "I can only handle one of her. God only knows what'll happen if there are two of them."

"You might not make it out alive," Loki laughed.

"I don't know," Thor added, drawing the attention of both of them to him. He wasn't thinking when he spoke up and now he felt as though he was intruding. His eyes widened some and he stumbled over his words before he was able to produce: "I only meant that you seem to mellow her out … not that I know her, of course, because I don't, but –"

"No, I can agree with that," Loki intervened finally, saving Thor from making a complete fool of himself. He was eternally grateful.

"Yeah, she was kind of … detached," Clint replied, looking over Loki's shoulder before immediately grabbing his bag. "I have to go, she can read lips. I'll see you guys later."

And with that, he was gone. Thor watched him jog to catch up with Natasha and, when he finally reached her, her hand instantly sought his. It was cute. They never seemed to display such affection around others – even Loki – but they seemed to gravitate towards each other when they thought they were alone or no-one was looking. It was actually kind of sweet.

"Thor?" Said man's eyes blinked back into focus and returned them to Loki, who was staring at him with raised brows. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, sorry," Thor automatically replied, looking down at the table. He felt embarrassed and he didn't know why.

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Apologise," Before Thor could dignify that with a response – he honestly had no idea what he could say to that, because in doing so would only reveal his insecurities about how he felt as though he were intervening on Loki's friends, how he was just trying to slink his way in, because he was alone and how Loki was something from another universe to him – Loki shook his head and leaned over, his hand landing on his wrist, long, spidery fingers wrapping around the limb. "Stop thinking too much."

"That's kind of impossible to do when you're around," Thor found himself saying. He didn't realise what he had said until it was out, but by then, it was too late to take it back.

But Loki only grinned, squeezing his wrist before letting it go. He stood, grabbing his messenger bag from where it was on the ground. "I'm experiencing the same problem."

-x- -x- -x-

"You have a lot of nerve coming in here after what you did, Laufeyson," That was how they were greeted when they walked into the diner, Sif's angry glare following them as they walked to their usual booth. Thor had begged Loki to go somewhere else, but he had insisted that they return. And now they were standing face-to-face with Sif and she looked as though she was so close to taking off Loki's head. Thor wondered if he should run or stay and protect Loki should she attack.

"Calm down, Sif," Loki replied, looking as though he had experience dealing with her aggravation. "Did I not pay for it when I returned?"

"I had to cover for you when Hogun questioned the difference in the register."

"I'll talk to him," Loki said, motioning for Thor to sit down. Thor did so, a question in his gaze. What did Loki mean? Before he could inquire his thoughts, Sif sighed impatiently, shaking her head as though she didn't know why she even bothered.

"What are you even doing here? Your shift doesn't start for another hour."

_That_ definitely got Thor's attention. He looked up from the menu he was staring down at – not that he was curious about what the diner held since he would more than likely order what he did the last few times he'd come – sparkling blue eyes wide with shock. It shouldn't have surprised him so much that Loki worked there. Sif knew him well enough, so that should have been a majour clue. And she wasn't all that nice when talking to him, either, and an employee wouldn't dare talk to a paying customer like that, friend or not. Not only that, but Thor didn't really know all that much about Loki, only that he was an enigma that he couldn't help but keep guessing at. But did it mean that Loki lived nearby? Did he walk down the streets right outside the diner on the way to school?

Loki's voice brought him out of his thoughts. "Can't I come and spend time with a few dear friends in an environment that I treasure and happen to care a lot for?"

Sif didn't look impressed, but she also didn't seem to be in the mood to question him any further. "Same order then?"

"Yes," Loki grinned.

When Sif rolled her eyes and scribbled down their order, Thor couldn't help himself any longer. He dropped the menu that he still held and turned his gaze on Loki. "You work here."

"Unfortunately," Loki replied. He picked up the menu and skimmed over the contents.

Thor was sure that he was avoiding eye-contact. Without thinking – hadn't he done enough of that lately? – Thor reached over and put his hand over Loki's, which was grasping the menu. It worked. Loki immediately looked up at him, expression unidentifiable, but Thor wasn't even going to try to decipher it.

"How come you didn't tell me the first time that we came here that you worked here?"

Loki shrugged his shoulders. "It never really came up."

"Do you work anywhere else?" He asked, truly curious to know a little bit more about him.

"Yeah," Loki answered stiffly, and Thor knew right away that he had done something wrong. Or did he say something wrong? He didn't know exactly what he had done or said, but he could see Loki's entire body tensing, could _feel_ it going rigid, the hand under his balling up, crumbling the menu in his grasp. "I like this one better. But let's talk about _you_," He sounded snide now and Thor could feel his heart plummet. "Do _you_ have a job or do your parents give you whatever you want?"

Thor was completely taken aback by Loki's sudden hostility, so shocked that he almost flinched back. What had he done? Too shocked to question, Thor found that he automatically answered Loki's. He felt foolish. "Yeah –"

"Of course, they do, because you're so very privileged. You have absolutely no idea what it's like to struggle and work hard and have to provide for someone else."

"Loki, I wasn't judging you. I was just –" Thor stumbled, trying to figure out where on earth the conversation was going, what he could have possibly said to spur on such an outburst.

"What? You were just _curious_, just _so_ very interested to know about me and my life? And why is that, Thor, hmm?" Loki leaned forward in his seat, emerald green eyes blazing. He was absolutely livid, but so was Thor – or at least he was getting there very quick.

Thor knew exactly where Loki was going with his little interrogation and he wasn't about to take it. His momentary shock and surprise and stuttering self was behind him, being replaced now with anger. Loki had no right to judge him based off of his family background. "If you're insinuating that I'm taking information from you and feeding it back to Stark and his friends to get a laugh out of your humiliation then you're dead wrong, Loki. I would _never_ do something like that."

"What other reason could there possibly _be_ then?" Loki demanded. "Why would someone like _you_ want to hang around someone like _me_?"

But Loki didn't give Thor the chance to reply, because no sooner had the words left his mouth, Loki was out of the booth. He quickly walked around the counter and went into the back-room. Thor's heart was pounding and he had absolutely no idea what he was supposed to do now. He had no idea where _that_ even came from.

Thor waited for five minutes for Loki to return and, when he didn't, he got up and left the diner.

-x- -x- -x-

He avoided his parents again that night. He had blamed it on the heat, claiming that it was getting to him. They seemed to buy it, but Thor knew that it would only be a matter of time before he wouldn't be able to give them any more excuses and would be forced to sit through yet another lecture about his future and what he needed to do. But Thor didn't want to think about it. He had more pressing and important matters to think about – like what had happened at the diner and why Loki had snapped at him.

He had walked home slowly; hands deep in the pockets of his jeans, debating on what he should do next. He couldn't help but feel frustrated. Not to be arrogant, but Thor genuinely thought that he was a nice person. He liked everyone – minus Tony and Steve and Rhodey and Pepper, of course – and got along with everyone. The person that he saw in the mirror every morning … was it the same person that Thor saw or someone completely different in the eyes of others? What did Loki see when he looked at him? Was he a good person in his eyes or a bad one?

And while he felt annoyed and frustrated at Loki's behaviour towards him, Thor also found himself to be even more curious about Loki. That had been the first personal question that was asked between them. They had always stayed on safer topics and any questions that could have been considered personal were always evaded. Thor couldn't help but wonder about Loki's home-life. Was everything all right? Did he have a mother and a father? What did he mean by having to provide for someone else?

Thor didn't know what to think. And then another thought came to mind, one that had his heart weighing heavily in his chest. Did Loki even want to talk to him anymore? Had Thor crossed a line that he didn't even know he went over?

Sitting behind his laptop, Thor found himself going to his email – it had become a habit ever since Loki gave him his email address, so that they could correspond – to check it for any new messages. He had a few junk-mails, a new one from his pen-pal, Jane, who lived in New Mexico.

There was one, however, that caught his attention right away, one that had him holding his breath as he opened it up.

_'__I'm sorry.'_

* * *

Author's Note – This story is mostly finished. Updates will be very three days.


	6. Run Away

Author's Note – Ownership of the cover-image goes to Batwynn, as it is her picture. Much thanks to Cassy27 for her help with this story.

* * *

**Chapter Six || Run Away**

Loki didn't send another message for the rest of the weekend and Thor didn't bother to reply to the one Loki sent him, either. Somehow, it didn't feel right. He wanted to see Loki again, wanted to hang out and be around him, because he was just … new and a mystery and refreshing in a way that left Thor wanting more, but … perhaps he was just keeping distance _for_ Loki? Maybe _he_ was the one who needed the distance and not Thor. A line had obviously been crossed and he didn't know how to handle it, so he snapped. Maybe he needed time to figure out what he wanted to do next.

Waiting was the hardest part. No matter how many times Thor typed up a message and had his mouse hovering over the SEND button, he just … couldn't. He had always ended up discarding the message and shutting off his laptop entirely to rid himself of the temptation. With nothing else better to do, Thor busied himself with writing his assigned paragraphs for their English-project. Of course, he only had two to write, so, after an hour of making sure they were as good as they were going to get, Thor then focussed on the quote. It was Loki's job to memorise and recite it, but … there was just something powerful about it that had Thor wanting to know and feel the words on an entirely new level.

He and Loki had decided on the quote just a few days ago, and Thor tried to convince himself that it wasn't because he wanted to share the experience with Loki. The words were important and meaningful and … Thor was only confusing himself. They were friends – at least he hoped they were still friends – and nothing more.

Although … Thor had felt a twinge of panic when Loki got up and walked away. Amongst the anger and the frustration at Loki's hostility and accusations, Thor had wanted to get up and chase after him, grab his arm, pull him back, beg for an explanation as to what he did wrong.

Loki was confusing and intermittent in a way that he could shift from hot-to-cold in a second, irregular and … _Loki_. Thor truly had no idea what he was to him now.

Monday couldn't have come any sooner. Despite the fact that he was scared as hell as to what would happen when they finally re-united after the events of Friday, Thor wanted to see him. Perhaps then his chaotic thoughts could fall into place. Maybe Loki was just an enigma and nothing more. He never seemed to think straight until he was around Loki and, even though the man confused him and had him question Loki all the more, Thor found that he could think clearer. And as confusing as that all sounded, it made perfect sense to Thor.

Walking into the building, right away, he could tell that something was different. There was a buzz of excitement, and not the good kind, either. On the way to his locker, Thor couldn't help but pick up on conversations that his fellow students were having with each other, words like '_police_' and _'drugs_' and '_locker-checks_' being repeated along the way. It wasn't all that surprising. Since 2010, California schools were constantly being inspected to ensure that kids weren't getting their hands on drugs. But something just wasn't sitting right with Thor. Something was definitely off.

His thoughts were only confirmed when he turned the corner and found Tony and Steve and Pepper around his locker, watching and laughing as Rhodey terrorised a poor kid down the hall. Shaking his head – honestly, he couldn't believe that he ever associated himself with the likes of Stark and his friends – Thor walked over to them, intent on getting to his locker, grabbing the books that he needed, and heading to his first class.

"Thor!" Tony exclaimed when he was close enough to hear. He swung an arm around Pepper's shoulders and stepped out of the way when Thor reached for the combination lock. Thor didn't know if he would have knocked him out of the way to get to it or not, but he was grateful that he moved, so he wouldn't have to find out. "How're you doing, buddy? You weren't at morning practise. Coulson is getting pretty damn annoyed with your lack of attendance. I'm surprised he hasn't hunted your ass down to demand an explanation."

"I'm quitting," Thor said. The words surprised him – he hadn't meant to say that, hadn't even known he was _thinking_ that. But they were out for Stark and Pepper and Steve to hear. There was no taking them back and, honestly, Thor didn't _want_ to take them back. He had been so concerned about changing too fast. All he needed was a little incentive – Tony harping on him, not leaving him the hell alone – to realise that baby steps actually meant _taking_ the steps, regardless of how terrifying.

"Yeah, figured as much," Tony replied, twirling a bit of Pepper's hair between his fingers. He pulled out his mobile and started scrolling through it. "What with you hanging out with your new friends and all, you haven't really had the time, have you?"

Thor could feel frustration boiling inside of him. He pulled out a textbook and stuffed it into his backpack before slamming the locker shut, rounding on his former-friends. What the hell did they even want? "Is there a reason as to why you're here?"

"Relax, big guy," Tony held his hands up in mock surrender, as though he gave a damn about keeping the peace. "I'm just here to offer you another chance," When Thor furrowed his brows in confusion, Tony continued. "Drop the freaks."

"I'll hang out with whomever the fuck I want, Stark. Stay out of my damn business," Thor could feel his fists balling up tightly at his sides. What he would give to punch him right in his arrogant face …

"They're nothing, Thor, just a bunch of nobodies, who'll wind up cleaning piss off the floor in a couple of years."

"Why does it bother you so damn much that I'm hanging out with them?" Thor asked incredulously, shaking his head. He purposely ignored the quips Tony was making. If he gave them any more thought, he would probably end up doing what he wanted and punch him in the nose. "Mind your own business. I don't want trouble, so just back the hell off and leave me and my new friends alone," Thor didn't know if Loki, Clint, and Natasha were _that_ still, but he sure as hell was feeling protective of them now.

"I'm not doing this to hurt you, buddy. I just want you to realise what a huge mistake you're making," Tony shrugged his shoulders before glancing at his mobile. He grinned. "You'll find out how right I am any second now."

Before Thor could even open his mouth to question what Tony meant, chaos ensued. The double-doors at the end of the hall were thrown open, followed by Loki, who had his arm gripped by a police-officer who was leading him down the hallway. The chaos and commotion wasn't coming from him, but from Clint and Natasha, who were arguing and talking rather loudly to two other police-officers who were following behind. They seemed to be trying to talk them out of something, but Thor had no eyes for them. No, his eyes were following Loki, who was looking incredibly annoyed and confused.

And then it all started to fall into place. '_Police_', _'drugs_', '_locker-checks_' … Thor felt his heart plummet, dread pooling into his gut. "What did you do?" He asked quietly, knowing full well that Tony could hear him. He didn't take his eyes off of Loki, though.

"I didn't do anything," Tony said, and Thor could hear the smirk in his voice.

Thor was moving down the hall before he was even aware of it. He pushed through the kids that were starting to crowd the way, following behind, wanting to catch a glimpse of what was going to happen. When he got close enough, he could see that Loki and the police-office that was holding his arm were exchanging words, Loki shrugging his shoulders and talking quickly, clearly aggravated at what was going down.

A quick glance over and he could see Clint pacing back and forth angrily across the hall, Natasha talking patiently with the two police-officers.

"Clint!" Thor called. Vibrant-coloured eyes landed on him and he shrugged his shoulders helplessly, answering the silent question Thor was sending him. He didn't know what the hell was going on, either.

Turning his gaze back to Loki, Thor saw him shaking his head and moving to his locker. He worked open the combination lock and dropped it to the ground, taking a step back, motioning almost dramatically for the police-officer to see for himself that he had nothing to hide. He crossed his arms. From behind him, Thor could hear Tony and Pepper and Steve laughing, and the dread only intensified. He knew. He _knew_.

Thor witnessed the change in Loki when the locker was opened, could see the frustration morph into absolute shock, his entire face paling even more than what it already was. The police-officer pulled out a little packet that was sitting on top of his textbooks and held it out to Loki, a sardonic question on his lips, but Thor didn't even hear it. He only had eyes for Loki, could see the way his chest was heaving all the more, how flustered he was starting to get, because he had absolutely no idea where the drugs had come from.

"… That's not mine," Thor heard Loki weakly reply. What else could Loki possibly say in his defence? They both knew how horrible it sounded.

The police-officer sighed and pulled out a pair of hand-cuffs. "Come on," He said, reaching for Loki's arm, turning him around.

Thor couldn't believe that they were arresting him in front of everyone! He felt a wave of white-hot anger coursing over him, because they did _not_ have to humiliate him in such a fashion. But there was nothing he could do. Clint and Natasha were arguing vehemently, but a few sharp words from the other two police-officers had them silenced, as well. Thor didn't know what to do. He simply stood there and watched as they escorted him down the hallway.

At the last second, though, Loki looked up from where he was staring down at his shoes. His wide emerald green eyes pierced straight through Thor, a plethora of emotions flashing through him at quick succession – relief, sadness, hope, embarrassment, fear – before falling on the one emotion that had Thor feeling as though he'd been punched in the gut – hate.

He didn't understand the look. Surely what happened Friday couldn't cause such a severe look. But then an arm swung over his shoulder and Thor knew what Loki had seen.

"Get the picture now, Odinson?" Tony rhetorically asked, the bastard going so far as to _waving_ as the police-officer escorted Loki out in chains. "He's a freak, nothing but a freak."

-x- -x- -x-

Thor could only get through one class – one class of worrying and fretting and visualising beating Tony until he was a bloody mess – before he was walking out the side door and jogging to his car, tossing his backpack into the backseat, and jumping behind the wheel. He couldn't believe what had happened, couldn't believe that Tony was getting back at him for leaving his stupid, little group by framing Loki and putting drugs into his locker. Or was that even the reason? Was Tony that much of an asshole that he would try ruining someone that way? Thor snorted and shook his head. _Of course_, he would.

He parked his car on the other side of the street, across from the police-station. He had absolutely no idea what he was supposed to do to get Loki out of there, but he did have one ace in his pocket – the Odinson family had always left huge donations for the police-force during Christmas-time and Thor would use that to his advantage if it meant helping Loki.

Walking inside, he only had to say his name and the officers inside were scrambling around to give him the information that he wanted. Though they were good people, who put their lives on the line, Thor felt sick at how they folded under the pretence of a bigger donation come Christmas-time. But the thought passed quickly enough. He had what he wanted and that was all that mattered.

Cannabis had been found in Loki's locker. It could have been gotten anywhere. It was only an ounce, though, and that right there probably saved Loki from a majour offense. There wasn't a need for a court appearance and there wouldn't be a mark on his record – only a misdemeanour – which Thor was grateful for. He could only imagine how relieved Loki would feel, too, when he found out. Surely, the officers would tell him when they went to get him from the holding-cells. As for the hundred dollar fine, Thor jogged down the street and went into a store, bought a bottle of water, and got the cash he needed before coming back. The money was given and Thor went outside to wait for Loki to come out.

He was nervous, scared of what Loki would do or say. He felt restless, but he remained seated on the bench, the sun beating down on him, heating his skin, making him squint as he looked across the street, watching as the people milled around and went about their day. Thor waited for thirty minutes before he heard hesitant footsteps coming towards him. He looked up and immediately stood to his feet. _Loki_.

"Hey," He said, hands in his pockets, his eyes downcast, as though he was ashamed and embarrassed. He had no right to be. He did nothing wrong.

"Hey," Thor replied, suddenly losing the ability to produce words. He had that problem a lot when he was around Loki. He then remembered the bottle of water in his hands – a bit warm now due to the heat – and held it out for Loki to take. "I didn't know if they gave you anything in there. I thought you might be thirsty …"

Loki glanced up at him and gave a small smile before hesitantly taking it. He uncapped the bottle and took a generous few gulps before sealing it once more. He sighed deeply and Thor could see how tired he appeared, how drained of energy he was. He started walking, his pace slow, and Thor found himself walking after him, not knowing where he was being led to, but ultimately not caring. He was meant to follow and he found himself doing so without even thinking.

"I was under the impression that I would have to bail myself out or pay a fine," Loki commented, his voice detached, and Thor couldn't help but wonder why no-one had come, because surely the police would have called his family. Thor didn't voice any of that aloud, though. He learned his lesson already. "When I asked about it, they had said that it was already paid."

He was speaking as though he was stating facts, but Thor knew that he was inquiring as to why he was there. If Thor didn't know any better, he would have guessed that Loki was already well aware of the fact that Thor had taken care of everything. Loki was simply waiting for Thor to come out and say it. Thor remained silent.

They started walking through a small park. It wasn't anything huge or grandeur – just a simple park with a gravel path and a few swing-sets and see-saws for children to play on, a few benches scattered about for mothers and fathers to watch and talk amongst themselves – but it was out of the way and private.

The silence stretched on for a few minutes before Loki eventually got sick of it. Sighing impatiently, he stopped walking and turned to where he was facing Thor. "You didn't have to do that, Thor."

"I know."

Thor could practically feel the frustration radiating off of Loki and he found himself slowly getting angry, as well. He completely understood why Loki was so upset and he had every right to be, but Thor was only trying to help. There was no reason for Loki to take it out on him.

"I appreciate it, but I will pay you back."

"You don't have to worry about it."

"I know, but I insist."

"Why?"

"I don't like owing anyone."

_That_ was what broke Thor, what knocked his patience right out of the water. He gaped at Loki, his sparkling blue eyes blazing as he stared. His heart started pounding as his gaze hardened. "You don't _owe_ me anything, Loki! What the hell is wrong with you?"

"All I know is that you were hanging out with Stark and his fucking friends while I was being dragged out of the school in handcuffs after discovering cannabis in my locker – that's what's wrong with me," Loki snapped, the bottle of water crinkling as he squeezed it.

"Are you –" Thor started only to cut himself off when Loki's words registered in his head. Anger _and_ disbelief clouded him now. "You still don't trust me … after everything and you still don't trust that I like you enough to want to be your friend."

Loki looked down. "Thank you for what you did."

Thor stared at him. "That's it?"

Loki's wild green eyes shot up, a fire blazing in them. "I said I would pay you back."

"This isn't about the fucking money, Loki!" Thor roared. He was briefly thankful that there weren't any children or anyone walking around to hear his shout. But the thought was fleeting and Thor couldn't seem to give a damn either way. Loki was pissing him off and he was about to let the man know it, too. "What in the _hell_ is _wrong_ with you?"

"What's wrong with _me_?" Loki demanded in return, having the audacity to actually look affronted before he shook his head. "You know what? I don't have time for this."

"Oh, no," Thor said, laughing, though there was no humour in his voice. Without thinking, he grabbed Loki's arm and shoved him onto the bench that they were standing a little ways from. "You ran away once without letting me get a fucking word in, but that's not happening this time. You're going to sit there and you're going to listen to what I have to say."

Thor chest was heaving with anger and he didn't even give a damn that he had actually manhandled Loki in such a fashion. He would probably feel guilty about it later on, would probably send Loki a long email explaining why he did it, apologising if he had hurt him, and he would probably go as far as to begging for his forgiveness, because even now he didn't want whatever they had ending, but Thor was just too angry in the present to care about any of that. The shocked look on Loki's face hadn't even registered yet.

"I have no idea where I even stand with you. You're fine one second and then you're not the next. Everything's okay and then you're angry and distant and you leave and I don't know what I did wrong to upset you," Thor said, hands waving all over to emphasis his point. "What did I do, huh? What do I have to do to prove to you that I want nothing to do with Stark and those fucking idiots? What do I have to do to prove to you that I _want_ to be your friend and that I _want_ to be around you, because I actually _enjoy_ it?"

"Nothing," Loki insisted, leaning forward on the bench, as though itching to stand up, but staying in place.

"Then what's wrong!"

"I like you!" Loki shouted back. He was furious when he said it and it was obvious that it was blurted out before he could think it over, but it was already out. The anger faded, shock taking place. He swallowed thickly. "I like you _a lot_ and I don't know what to think," He added slowly, as though testing the words, as though speaking them aloud for the first time.

Thor snorted, causing Loki's eyes to immediately look back up at him. "Well, did you _think_ that maybe I liked you, too?"

"But _why –_" Loki started, but was cut off once more, because _really_?

"Why _wouldn't_ I?" Thor threw back, shaking his head in amazement. "Do you think it's because I have money and you have to work two jobs? Is that what you meant back at the diner?"

"Thor, I want to go," Loki said, voice quivering slightly. His entire body was tense, trembling faintly.

All of the fight was knocked out of Thor. He dropped his arms, limbs hanging uselessly at his sides. He stared down at Loki and he honestly looked like a deer in headlights – emerald green eyes wide, unsure and vulnerable, even. Taking a step back from the bench, Thor nodded his head marginally. Loki took off; quickly moving from the bench and walking at a brisk pace back down the gravelled path, the water bottle still in his hand.

* * *

Author's Note – This story is mostly finished. Updates will be very three days.


	7. Safe Place to Hide

Author's Note – Ownership of the cover-image goes to Batwynn, as it is her picture. Much thanks to Cassy27 for her help with this story.

* * *

**Chapter Seven || Safe Place to Hide**

"Thor. We need to talk."

It couldn't have come at a worse time. Thor had just finished tying his hair up into a messy bun when Frigga rattled her knuckle against his open door, a firm look on her face that only spelled trouble. Thor didn't want to deal with it, but what other choice did he have? He had been putting off the lectures and the questions about what had been going on with him for several days now. It was bound to happen eventually.

"Everything is fine, mother," Thor replied, not even bothering to look in her direction. He wanted to go to school early, wanting to see if he could catch a glimpse of Loki. Did he even go to school early? Maybe Clint did. He was much more approachable than Natasha was. "School's fine, Stark's a wonderful human being, and my grades are great."

"That's wonderful to hear, Thor, but that's not why we're here," _Oh_, so his father was there, too. Yes, it was definitely going to be one of _those_ mornings. He turned around and found his parents standing just inside his door, Frigga with her arms crossed and Odin holding a sheet of paper in his hands. "We've had a very interesting morning. You wouldn't believe who called us."

"You remember Heimdall? He's recently been promoted to Captain at the police-station. He called and thanked us in advance for the bigger donation they would be getting this Christmas. Quite interesting, isn't it? We had no idea. After a bit of investigating, we found that a bottle of water was bought and a hundred dollars was withdrawn from a little store downtown, a few shops from the police-station."

Thor could feel dread sinking in. He looked from his father to his mother and back, forced himself to school his expression, and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't understand."

"Stop lying to us, Thor!" Frigga snapped, her light blue eyes flashing in warning. Thor immediately snapped his mouth shut.

"Heimdall said it was nice seeing you again," Odin continued on as though Frigga and Thor hadn't said a word. He was too calm, too relaxed. It certainly wouldn't end well for Thor. "Now, tell me, Thor. Just what did he mean by that?"

He could lie again, but what would be the point? They could either get the answer out of him or they could simply call Heimdall back and question him. Somehow Thor thought that hearing it from him would be slightly better. Either way, they wouldn't be happy with him. That was what he was worried about the most. What would they do?

Swallowing thickly, Thor shrugged his shoulders. "I have this new friend … he was accused of holding cannabis in his locker and was arrested for it. But it wasn't his and … Stark was being a jerk and framed him, I paid his fine."

Neither parent said a word. It was like watching a car-wreck. Each second that passed, the damage was getting bigger and bigger. He could see the vein in Odin's temple pulsing faster and faster as the seconds wore on, could see the muscles in Frigga's neck tighten and jolt. No, forget the car-wreck. It was like watching a volcano seconds before it was about to erupt. Thor braced himself for the blast.

"This … _friend_," Frigga started, and Thor could practically hear how difficult it was for her to control herself. "How do you even know that the drugs weren't his?"

"Because he has too much to lose," Thor replied immediately. He believed his words. He might not know Loki a whole lot, but he knew that much. Loki was defensive and obviously protecting something – or someone, with the way he had spoken to him the last time Thor poked and prodded for an answer – so he wouldn't try to endanger his future like that. "Tony was just angry, because I stopped hanging out with him. Oh, and it also might have something to do with the fact that he's an asshole and he was getting back at me by going through my friend."

He was pushing it. He could tell by the way his parents grew incredibly sill, as though they were begging and pleading with the gods to give them the patience they needed to handle this situation. Honestly, Thor didn't know what the problem was. He tossed the towel he had been using to dry his hair – before he put it up into a bun, of course – onto his desk chair. It was time to get out of there. His parents were getting pissed and the last thing Thor wanted to deal with was their wrath. He had too much on his mind. Grabbing his backpack, he swung it over his shoulder, giving them a pointed look when they had yet to say anything.

"I don't know why you're getting so upset. It's my money."

"It's _our_ money, you _stupid_ boy!" Frigga screamed, causing Thor to take a step back, because that was the first time that she had ever shouted at him before. His mouth gaped open and he stopped breathing entirely.

"Who is this new friend of yours?" Odin asked, looking more composed, though there was a tone to his voice that commanded obedience. It was a tone that told Thor that he wasn't playing around, that he wanted an answer and the right one or there would be consequences.

"His name is Loki."

"And did you happen to befriend him two week ago?"

"Yeah …" Thor furrowed his brow. Why would his father know that …?

"Ah, so that explains it," Odin replied, sending his wife a knowing look. Thor looked all the more confused. What were they talking about? Odin's one good eye turned back to Thor. "We've been wondering why you have been acting so strange lately, disobedient. It appears as though your attitude is the cause of this drug-addicted thug you've been hanging out with so much."

Thor bristled. "He is _not_ a thug and he doesn't do drugs. You don't even know him."

"And apparently you don't, either. You are no fool. You wouldn't jeopardise your future by hanging out with someone who is beneath you," Odin shot back.

Thor could hardly believe it. He could feel the anger inside of him intensifying the longer he remained in his parent's presence. He told himself to go, to just not say a word, because saying a word would open up so many other problems, but Thor couldn't help himself. They had no right. "_Your_ future, you mean."

"I beg your pardon?"

"It's not my future, it's your future. Borson Industries is going downhill, right? I've read the papers – you're just a few months away from filing for bankruptcy. That's why you've been doing all of this. You wanted me to get close to Stark, because you want in his father's business. You forced me into clubs and community service projects to give me a good recommendation, so that I would be the obvious successor, because you can't stand your brother. You've been running my life, because you screwed up your own and you want to start over using me," Thor shook his head, his sparkling blue eyes shimmering brightly due to his anger. In that moment, he actually hated his parents. They should be loving and supportive, but all they were was selfish and cruel. "Well, that ends today. I'm quitting football. I've isolated myself away from Stark and his friends. I've made new ones – better ones. I don't want Borson Industries. I don't want it. I'm tired of living like this. I'm done."

"Do you hear how stupid you sound?" Frigga hissed. Despite his ire, Thor was wary of her. His mother just looked … hateful. Sharp lines and fine edges, she stood tall and proud and dangerous. She wasn't a woman to be trifled with and Thor was only fuelling her rage. "We are securing your future. We're –"

"You're trying to live through me," Thor interrupted. "But that ends now."

Nothing else was said. Nothing else was needed to be said. Of course, Odin and Frigga were furious, tried to cover their crimes with pretty words about how they were only trying to take care of him and give him a comfortable and stable future, but Thor heard none of it. He pushed his way past his parents and started moving down the hall, breaking into a jog when he heard their approaching footsteps behind them. They were screaming at him now, but Thor didn't stop. He ran down the stairs and slipped out the door.

There would be hell to pay when he finally returned home later on that day, but Thor didn't care. He had stood up to his parents, had put them in their places. He had put his foot down and put a stop to the madness. He had done it. He was _free_.

-x- -x- -x-

Climbing out of his car and swinging his backpack over his shoulder, Thor knew that something was up. There were a few students who were standing around, talking to themselves and laughing. Thor thought nothing of it, but when he started walking towards the school, he realised that that was where Tony usually parked. As he walked by, he could definitely tell what all the fuss was about.

His tires were completely slashed. It was almost comical how destroyed they were. Someone had stabbed the tire and ran it around the entire circumference, the car now resting entirely on the rims, which were bending and dented slightly due to the weight. That hadn't been it, though. All of the windows were shattered and the red paint job … well, someone had taken to keying the car to a new level. When it was all said and done, Tony's one-of-a-kind car now looked like a piece of junk that was picked up at a used-car lot.

Thor snorted and kept walking, grinning to himself. Yeah, it was kind of a jerk move, but after everything that Stark had done to Loki … well, Thor wanted to shake the hand and buy the guy who actually did it lunch.

Of course, he should have known that he wouldn't have gotten into the school without being seen by the bastard. Right before he could walk up the stairs to the front entrance, he heard his name being shouted. Turning around, he could see that Tony was standing in front of his car, sun-glasses gripped in one hand and pushing Pepper away with the other.

"Did you do that or did one of your new friends?" He demanded, voice loud and confrontational, but Thor wasn't in the mood. He was enjoying the sight way too much to get angry at the accusation in his tone.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I just got here," Thor shrugged, not even bothering to hide the grin on his face, because honestly, this was too priceless.

Tony wasn't amused, though, not in the least. He was shaking his head, cursing at Pepper to stop touching him; cursing at the other people who were standing around to piss off or he'd make their lives a living hell. Thor didn't bother waiting. He continued to climb up the steps to get into the school, almost laughing at how ridiculous Tony sounded as he walked into the building.

"You've just started a war, my friend. You hear me!"

Tony was long forgotten when he walked into the building. He felt … new, fresh, as though he wasn't trying to be someone he wasn't, as though he wasn't scrambling for answers to questions he wasn't even sure of. Thor felt good, _really_ good.

"Hey," Clint said, and Thor almost jumped, because he was too lost in thought to even hear Clint come up on his left. "Just get here?"

"Uh, yeah, just pulled up," After a second, though, he grinned. "It was you, wasn't it? You totalled his car."

"Someone had to divert the cameras and create a distraction for the five-minute operation."

Thor _did_ jump that time, head snapping to the right at the sound of Natasha's voice. She wasn't looking at him, but Thor could tell that she looked very pleased with getting away with it.

"We're going out for lunch today, the four of us," Thor said, shaking his head, a smile on his face. "After everything that you guys just did, you sure as hell deserve it."

"Three."

"What?"

"It'll just be the three of us," Clint said, shrugging his shoulders when Thor turned to look at him. They stopped at Thor's locker. "Loki's been suspended. He said three days – won't be back until Friday."

Whatever semblance of a good mood Thor was able to create was immediately shattered. It made sense, Loki getting suspended. Regardless of it being planted in his locker, the cannabis _was_ in Loki's locker, and there was no evidence proving that it was planted. The school wouldn't allow him to get away with that. Punishment had to be dealt. But it was still frustrating and after everything that happened yesterday, Thor wanted to see Loki, and talk to him. Where were they at? Were they still friends?

Thor shook his head and sighed slightly before giving a small smile to Clint and Natasha. They were with him on their own volition. That had to mean something, right? "It'll be the three of us then."

"Loki told us everything," Natasha spoke up. Thor turned to her, wondering just what '_everything_' implied. At least that would explain as to why she was actually willing to talk to him, while before, she didn't seem as though she wanted anything to do with him. Small miracles, Thor supposed.

"Yeah, that was really great of you, man, paying that fine for him," Clint nodded his head in agreement, smacking Thor on the shoulder.

Thor smiled at the both of them. Loki wasn't there and he wouldn't be back until Friday. He didn't know where that left them – if it left them anywhere at all – but at least he gained two friends. Thor swung his backpack over his shoulder once more and slammed his locker shut before wrapping an arm around Clint and Natasha's shoulders, pulling them closer, making them snort and laugh as they walked down the hallway.

Thor could live with small miracles.

-x- -x- -x-

He went to school. He came home. He did coursework; he ate, slept, woke up, and continued the pattern. It was only for three days, but the days seemed to have blurred together, leaving Thor in a state of almost numbness. There was just absolutely nothing to look forward to during the day and, after revealing to his parents that he was quitting football, knowing that they expected – more like _demanded_ – him to be home right after school only left him feeling suffocated and constrained. He hated it.

The only thing that seemed to get him through each day was the knowledge that it was bringing him closer and closer to seeing Loki, and even then, the thought had him nervous and anxious more than excited like he would have been. The way that they had left off … well – it certainly left things up in the air. He had no idea where they stood now, if Loki would even want anything to do with him. Thor hadn't realised it at the time, but now he had come to find that Loki had been – and _was_ – the highlight of his days. He felt ridiculous for feeling that way, simply because they'd only known each other for two weeks. Was that even enough time to develop such feelings? They'd told each other – yelled at each other, actually – that they liked one another, but was any of that true or was it all just spur of the moment, feelings getting in the way, impairing judgement? Thor didn't know.

All Thor knew was that he'd gotten attached to seeing Loki.

So when Friday _finally_ rolled around, he was a nervous wreck. The last thing he wanted to do, though, was scare Loki off, so Thor kept to himself, even if his eyes were roaming around the hallway in between classes, hoping to catch sight of him. It would only be for a second, but it would be enough to get a hint to what would come. It would only be for a second, but it would be enough to at least gage where they stood now.

Of course, Loki wasn't going to make it easy for him. Thor hadn't seen him all day, and when he found Clint and Natasha sitting at their regular table during lunch, both had informed him that he was visiting his teachers, gathering all of the assignments that he missed so that he could catch up. The disappointment had been a given. Thor had felt it engulf him slowly, spreading throughout his entire body until he had just dropped into the nearest chair. He didn't know if Clint and Natasha knew about what happened, the extent of what Loki had told them, but at least they were kind enough to keep the subject away from the enigma in his life.

And when the bell finally rang for English-class and he hadn't shown up yet, Thor thought he was going to lose his mind. Where was he? It wasn't that he was afraid for the project – even though that should have been where his mind was at, because the last thing Thor wanted was to get a bad mark and have his grades drop – he just wanted to _see_ Loki.

His thoughts were interrupted when a book slamming on his desk snapped him back into reality, causing him to almost jump right out of his seat. Sparkling blue eyes moved from the door he was staring at to the source of the noise, inwardly cursing himself when he realised just who had jarred him from the inner workings of his mind – and the fascination-slash-anticipation of Loki. Thor felt like groaning when he found that the person who slammed their book on his desk was Steve Rogers.

"Jesus, you look like a kicked puppy," Steve sneered, and Thor vaguely wondered what it would feel like to just punch him. He banished the thought, no matter how tempting it might have been. "Is your boyfriend still suspended?"

Casually, as though he were flicking dust off his sleeve, Thor slid the book off his desk before leaning back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. He truly didn't want to deal with Steve and his antics. He was like a miniature Tony, wanting to prove that he could step out of Stark's shadow. It was pathetic, now that he noticed. "Are you still pining over yours? Oh, wait, he's still dating Pepper."

Steve's cheeks flushed as he clenched his jaw tightly together, and Thor couldn't help but smirk slightly. He didn't know if what he had said had any truth behind it since he wasn't any good at reading people, but it sure was fun to watch Steve's face grow pink. "Watch your back, Odinson," He threatened, snatching his book from the ground and stepping on Thor's backpack in the process. Thor didn't care in the slightest.

Revelling in his victory was cut short when Mr. Banner walked into the class, followed by Loki, whose shoulders were straight, head held high. Thor could hear a few whispers, but he was relieved when no-one outright said anything. Perhaps it was because Loki flew under the radar, never really catching the attention of anyone. Maybe it was because there was just that air about Loki that seemed to intimidate or leave everyone questioning. Regardless, Thor was glad that no-one said anything.

Loki hadn't looked at him, and Thor wondered if he even knew he was watching him. He'd like to think so. After the conversation they parted with … Thor felt the room grow stuffy, as though there were too many bodies and not enough oxygen. He wished Loki would just _look_ at him if only for a second; just long enough for Thor to get something from him. Was Loki going to avoid him? Were they done? Was their friendship over? Was there no hope for them? Thor knew he could live with that, but the very idea of their connection being completely severed was less to be desired.

Class started and Thor was forced to turn his head to the front, listening as Mr. Banner explained once more the pretence of their project, the goal he wished them all to succeed in understanding by the time the day was done. After he was finished, he called upon a group to present.

The first group's presentation was an interesting one, and Thor forced himself to pay close attention to every word that was spoken. It was as much of a study for how he would act when it was their turn, as it was to distract himself from his paranoid thoughts, as well. The longer he listened and as the other groups continued to go up and present, Thor couldn't help his thoughts from drifting to the first time he and Loki went to the diner during Tony's party after their first win of the season. He could remember Loki reciting a few quotes and explaining their meanings with such perfection that Thor felt stupid for never understanding before.

Thor sighed. He was in too deep and he knew that he was screwed.

By the time it was their turn to present, Thor felt as though he was going to explode with nerves. Exhaling slowly, he stood and collected his things, turning to see that Loki was doing the same. "Loki, I got it," He called. _Finally_ their gazes met and those emerald green eyes were expressive for only a moment before they were shielded once more, only confusion remaining. For some reason, that didn't bother Thor. He expected no less from Loki.

They moved to the podium and stood behind it, their shoulders touching. Perhaps they both felt safer when there was something standing between them when they were forced to present findings for a project and everyone else. It was like a barrier. Thor had never had such a problem before – talking to people was something that he was good at, something that he enjoyed – but this was something different and he wasn't entirely sure what the outcome would be.

"What do you mean you have it? I have the paper," Loki asked quietly when Thor opened the folder he was carrying. He pulled out the paper and the speech that entailed the explanation to the quote, watching from the corner of his eye as Loki grew still. "Thor –"

"The quote that Loki and I chose was said by E.E. Cummings," Thor started, cutting Loki off before he could ruin the whole thing. He didn't want Loki to think about it, didn't want to think about it himself. Three days full of boredom and troubled thoughts had inspired him and _this_ was the outcome.

"_'To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.'_"

Thor could feel Loki's eyes on him, could practically feel the confusion and tension in his shoulder, which was pressed against his own. He wondered what Loki was thinking in that moment, what was going through his mind when he realised that that quote wasn't the one that they'd originally picked out. What would Loki say when it was all said and done? Would he get angry at Thor? Would he laugh in his face and call him pathetic? Thor didn't know and he truly didn't want to find out. If Loki were to leave then he would rather it happen quickly and quietly, just seep from his life as though he'd never been a part of it, because Thor was weak and didn't have the courage to face something like that.

He forced those thoughts to the back of his mind, because now wasn't the time to think about that. He was standing before eighteen other students who were waiting for him to continue. Clearing his throat, Thor glanced at the paper that had his speech before looking at the expectant faces.

"I have a good life. I'm … financially stable, have great friends," Thor paused before shrugging his shoulders slightly. "Or at least I thought I did. See, at first I thought I was just like them, but I guess I have a conscience, something that they never had," Steve hadn't been paying attention, but he looked up at that, eyes narrowing dangerously, because he knew that Thor was talking about him. At least he wasn't as stupid as Thor originally thought. "I was who they wanted me to be and I wasn't very happy. And for the longest time, I was … _not me_, and that really got to me," Thor glanced at the paper once more, bracing himself, because the next part – the rest – was for Loki. "Under some miracle, at just the right time, it seemed like, I heard this other quote. It was the most inspiring thing to me: _'This is your life. Live it how _you_ want to live it.'_ It's pretty simple, right?

And as crazy as it sounds, it really is that simple. I did it. I took the steps, cut loose variables. I'm happy. And maybe that's what Cummings is saying here. We live in a world where it's hard to be ourselves, where it's hard to be socially acceptable. Or maybe that's just an excuse. Fear is an inevitable factour, but we never live until we take those first few steps out of our comfort zone. We need to look the world in the eye and tell it that we aren't going to change for it. It doesn't matter who you are or where you come from. It's the finer details that matter."

-x- -x- -x-

Class had ended and Loki stayed behind, and Thor honestly didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. He felt … undecided about how the presentation went. He knew that it surprised the hell out of Loki and he didn't know if it was any good or not. Looking back on it now, Thor felt as though it was probably the corniest, cheesiest thing he had ever done. Just thinking about it made him want to laugh manically, but it was over and that was what mattered. It was out of the way and the only thing that really held weight in his mind was Loki. Where did they stand now?

"Well, that certainly wasn't anything that we decided," Loki's voice came, causing Thor to push himself away from the wall that he was leaning against. He figured he'd at least wait for Loki. They did need to talk, after all. "If you wanted to get into my pants that badly, all you had to do was ask. There was no need to create a whole new presentation. You put in more work than needed."

Humour – that was a good thing. Thor could work with humour, because humour meant that Loki wasn't absolutely furious and hell-bent on putting him in his place and walking away from him entirely. Thor watched as Loki closed the distance between them, mirroring Thor's previous posture against the wall. He crossed his arms, but it was in no way defensive. Thor turned his body to where he was facing him.

"Yeah, I guess I did," He said dumbly, feeling his face heat up just slightly. Loki always had that effect on him, it seemed. He didn't know what to say. Had he not said it all in the presentation? But Loki wasn't saying anything, just staring at him with those indecipherable emerald green eyes, and Thor felt as though he was being examined under a microscope.

And then Loki was rolling his eyes. He pushed himself away from the wall and grabbed Thor's wrist, pulling him towards the street. "Come on," He said, and Thor could hear the shift in tone. It was slight, but Thor had found that he was becoming very aware of all of Loki's mannerisms and quirks. "Let's get a coffee, yeah?"

Loki turned then, giving Thor a soft, warm smile. Perhaps they weren't in such a bad place after all.

* * *

Author's Note – Thank you to all who followed, favourited, and reviewed. The sequel is called **The Person That I Am Today **and it'll be up as soon as it's finished. Hope to see you all there.


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